


Audiatur Et Altera Pars.

by mochicheekies



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alpha Park Chanyeol, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Blood, Body Worship, Chanyeol being an absolutely dream of a man, Drug Abuse, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Smut, Fever Dreams, Fighting, Flirting, Friends to Lovers to Enemies to Lovers, Gore, Harassment, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Character Death, Omega Byun Baekhyun, Scars, Sickness, Slow Burn, a lot of wet kisses, angst with a very happy ending, traumatic past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-24 01:56:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 41,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30064908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mochicheekies/pseuds/mochicheekies
Summary: Fate was a cruel construct by nature. It found Byun Baekhyun when he least needed it and in the form of his worst enemy, Park Chanyeol.But what if nothing was like it always had seemed?What if Chanyeol wasn't the enemy and what if he was actually more than that?
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol, Do Kyungsoo | D.O/Kim Jongin | Kai, Kim Junmyeon | Suho/Oh Sehun
Comments: 23
Kudos: 54





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Good Evening dear readers!
> 
> I finally finished this mammoth of a fic. And I hope you will enjoy it.
> 
> !! DISCLAIMER!! this story is a work of fiction and has no relation to reality.

##  **Introduction**

There exists an old saying about love and how it is able to conquer everything, on how it is the strongest force when it comes to difficult situations and about how people feel enforced by it. An emotion much more seeked for than any other, and yet, it was the one thing Baekhyun hated the most.

In his eyes, he would never need something as bothersome as love to provide him with strength or fulfillment, not when the hatred within his ribcage was much more efficient when it came to fight his never ending thoughts. Actually, there had been a time when he had believed in partnership, attraction and deep affection, but thinking back to it felt like poison ripping his skin apart and he absolutely despised it.

Now with an arrow stroking along his tender cheekbone, the feather tickling his skin, he knew he was better off without it and would always be. The moment he let go of the wooden stick, there was a gush of cold air blowing against his face, refreshing but not shaking him out of focus.

It was satisfying to see the target splitting into two, a red apple he had placed onto a tree stump, but he was brought out of his thoughts when a warm hand touched his shoulder. A reassuring squeeze followed and then he watched Junmyeon walk over to where the arrow now laid on the floor, picking up half of the apple.

“ Good shot. You’re getting better with each day, Baekhyun.”   


“ Thank you. I-, it’s only possible because of you…”

The other man had always been the one he had looked up to, strong, independent and gentle. A warrior older than most people he knew and wiser than all of them. Not a day passed by in which Baekhyun wasn’t thankful for what the other had done for him, not when it had changed his life for the better.

Feeling a finger poke against his chest, right above his heart, he looked up to meet Junmyeon’s soft eyes, the slightly teasing smirk making his cheeks flush a deep red. No matter how tough and mean he wanted to be, wanted to be seen like, this person right in front of him would never fail to look right through his thoughts.

“ It is all your own work, no need to be modest. Much more important, are you ready for tonight?”

Right. Tonight. Baekhyun was actually more than ready for what was about to come, yet he could feel every fiber of his body burning with nervousness. It wasn’t necessarily uncomfortable, but it sure made his head unable to think straight.

“ I am, I have been waiting for this for seven years.”

-

Running through the dark foggy woods, alongside his brothers, felt good. It felt like a breath of freedom he had been thirsting for for years and with every step he took, Baekhyun could feel his heart race a hundred times faster. The clothes they were wearing were pitch black, with an equally as dark coat fluttering behind their backs the faster they ran. Half of their face was covered in a mask out of soft fabric, hiding both lips and nose and each of them carried a different weapon.

For Baekhyun it was the bow. A silver one, with arrows out of black wood. Elegant yet deadly.

There were loud noises, music and laughter, just like they had predicted and it was much easier to climb up on the huts to observe them. None of them were loud, they all had learned how to, quite literally, walk on clouds and it gave them a huge advantage.

Staring down at the mass of people, Junmyeon on his left and Kyungsoo on his right, the smaller had his eyes set on one person and one person only. That man was sitting at the top of the long table, his black hair soft against his rather sharp features and for a brief second, Baekhyun felt nostalgic. There was a sense of home within his heart, warm and comfortable, but he shut it down the moment their leader tapped his back, indicating they were ready.

And then it happened all at once. One by one they jumped down, focusing on those that were dead drunk, to knock them out. Screaming and shouting was all he heard, before it was his turn. Standing up to run over the roof of the hut, he took a deep breath and slid down into the crowd as well, his small feet landing on the big wooden table. There wasn’t much time to think, not when he knew what he had to do and that was why he ran towards the black haired man, seeing his confusion reflected in his eyes. From one moment to the other he had kicked him right against the chest, leading him to tumble over and land on the floor, only to end up with Baekhyun’s foot pressing down onto his throat.

He didn’t apply much pressure, but it was enough to restrict his airway, seeing tears jump to his brown orbs. Making sure everything went according to plan, the smaller gazed around the place, seeing his brothers having the upper hand. That was when he hovered over the other man, slowly pulling down his mask to reveal his face, surprise and confusion being the one thing he was met with, leading him to chuckle dryly.

“ Long time no see, Park Chanyeol.”

  
  



	2. Chapter One

_ Seven Years Ago _

Baekhyun was beautiful.

From his black hair that shone brightly in the blinding moonlight, to his petal shaped lips that curved into the most dazzling smile every time he laughed. He was smaller than most of the omegas in their pack, curvier and smarter and yet, an outsider.

Recessive was what they called him, a useless soul that dared to wander on top of their soil and grass. His pheromones were weak to the point one could only smell it when standing right in front of him, his features not even close to what other omegas looked like. Baekhyun wasn’t submissive, he did not keep a distance from alphas and he did fall to their feet, begging to be marked and claimed.

He was special, in Chanyeol’s eyes.

The taller man was aware of the other’s past, he knew that his mother died when he was still a baby and he also knew that his father ran away and left the pack, not able to take care of him. A depressing past, if one would ask him but Baekhyun was stronger than any of them. He did not talk about what made him sad, he rather focused on what made him happy, even if that was terribly difficult within a pack that openly hated him.

Omegas like him were rare, not worth the attention and mostly easy targets for bullying, but the smaller never once backed down when something like that happened. It was part of his life and Chanyeol admired him for that. He had always admired him ever since the first time they had talked.

It had been magical, if he was allowed to describe it as such. Their eyes had met, his heart rate had picked up and he had lost every sense of speaking. Maybe it had been fate, but ever since that day they had been inseparable.

Much to the dislike of not only his father, but also almost every omega of their pack.

Sure, it indeed stressed him a lot, it made him feel self-conscious sometimes, but now, sitting within the tall grass and seeing the smaller in front of him, his slender hands feeling the temperature of the stream that passed by, he simply did not care.

“ Baekhyun-ah, I brought strawberries.”   


It was cute, no more than that, when his head whipped around so fast and his eyes shone with more than just happiness. The little things were those that made his best friend the most satisfied and he would have risked it all, for his smile to always be displayed on his beautiful lips.

“ How were you able to sneak them out? I was sure they hid the rest of the harvest, because I had eaten so much.”

“ I have my ways.”

Almost melodic giggling filled the air for a few seconds, before Baekhyun reached for one of the fruits and gently bit into it, careful not to squeeze the red liquid out too harshly. How was it possible for something as unimportant as this, to raise Chanyeol’s heartbeat that quickly?

To be honest, he knew he was wrapped around the other’s finger, but it continued to surprise him, the more it happened.

“ Oh, your  _ alpha _ ways? Interesting.”   


“ What is that supposed to mean?” Chanyeol gasped, fake shock prominent in his voice, before he snatched a strawberry from within the smaller’s fingers, laughing at his adorable reaction, “ I asked my father.”

That changed the mood completely and he regretted it, the moment he saw Baekhyun’s expression turn sad. His father despised Chanyeol’s best friend, he openly hated him for being a disgrace to their pack, and yet, the smaller never spoke up about it, instead swallowing everything down.

“ O-Oh, you did not tell him they were for me, right?”

“ Of course I didn’t...Baekhyun-ah, you know that I am on your side, don’t you?”

Watching him briefly nod his head, Chanyeol sat up properly and leaned over to engulf him in a warm hug, soon smiling to himself when he felt small hands hold onto his shirt. It was the only comfort that he could offer at this point, one that was welcomed from both sides.

“ Tomorrow is the flower fest, isn’t it? You are seventeen now, Chanyeol-ah. Time for you to decide who to court,” Baekhyun said with a gentle smile, his eyes tired and to some point also quite lifeless. It was a stupid tradition, one that was part of their pack since ages, but also completely useless.

The alphas were supposed to search for wild flowers and lay them in front of the omega’s huts, offering them a bouquet. One of a certain color that would match the one the alpha’s would wear the next day. Chanyeol wasn’t even thinking about courting someone this early in his life and still, his eyes only ever found the smaller who sat right in front of him.

“ We will see if I’m in the mood for that. You know how badly I hate traditions.”

-

It was late at night, when Baekhyun briefly woke up to the loud bustling outside his own hut, which was further away from all the others, keeping a distance he would never be able to cross and yet, the noises were louder than usual. He knew it was because of the flowers and he also knew he would not get any. Just the thought about that made him wonder if he was truly unloveable?

Maybe his emotions were all over the place again. It wasn’t that uncommon, especially close to his heat and before he knew it, his eyes had closed once more, dragging him into his dreams.

There wasn’t really much to look forward to, when fests like those took place, simply because it was stressful and he always was treated like a parasite, but the moment he opened his door and saw a bit over thirty white roses laying on the ground, he knew it would be different from the usual.

Not only was he confused, but he also feared that this was a joke. A mean one to bully him even more, to crush his soul. Still, a small part of him was excited and that ultimately made him pick up the bouquet, pressing his small nose against the petals to bath in their scent.

It was actually his favorite and his heart beat faster, the more he thought about the few people knowing about that. Apart from his teacher and Chanyeol, there weren’t any important ones and the simple image of his best friend’s dimpled smile brought redness to his cheeks.

Was that even possible?

Biting his tender lips in thought, he picked his simple outfit for the day, consisting of a plain green pullover and black pants. It made him seem smaller than he already was and he knew the other omegas would tease him for that, but there was only one thing on his mind and he desperately wanted to seek for the truth.

To no one's surprise he indeed was stared at weirdly by everyone, the flowers within the hold of his arms. A lot of others had bouquets as well, but he indeed was uncommon.

“ Who gave  _ you  _ flowers? This has to be a joke, you sure you did not pick them yourself?”

“ He just wants attention, stupid recessive bastard.”   


Having to listen to their curse words and mumbling, Baekhyun took a deep breath and walked over to the line of omegas, which were all seated down, to do the same, just waiting for the alphas to appear. And while he had time, his eyes wandered over all the other men and women beside him, their beauty uncanny and resembling the flowers they were holding. 

In the end the recessive features really were present, because his hair wasn’t as shiny and his lips weren’t as full, but he tried hard to suppress those thoughts, knowing he was just as much of worth as they were.

Maybe it was for the best when it suddenly got louder and the alphas showed up one by one, because his attention was on the flowers they were holding. A red one, blue, black, yellow, none looking like the ones he was holding and the disappointment rushed to his face like tears, but then his world came to a halt.

Chanyeol stopped right in front of him, one single white rose within his rough fingers, the slightest blush ghosting over his cheeks and a sweet smile on his lips. It felt surreal but simultaneously, this was the only outcome Baekhyun would have liked and it made him grin softly.

“ You want to court  _ me _ ?”

“ Only if you allow me to,” the taller replied, one of his hands reaching out to give the omega the last rose as well and Baekhyun could see how badly his fingers were shaking. It was adorable and it made him feel cared for, knowing that out of all the alphas in their pack, Chanyeol was the softest and purest, risking everything by choosing him.

This situation wasn’t as easy as it at first glance seemed like, because his father was the pack leader after all, known for hating on the smaller and treating him badly. And yet, there were no bad thoughts within his head and no time to notice the glares around them, because all he could do was lean up in order to hug his best friend, his chin briefly nodding against his shoulder.

“ You are the only one I would ever allow to court me.”

-

As good as the day has started, it ended terribly.

Chanyeol had been nothing short of a gentleman, like always, even bringing him home, but where he had expected to find his bouquet, there were only petals all over the floor, ripped apart from their stem. It hurt, especially because this had been something special, something he had wanted to treasure and now it was ruined.

Knowing that the other was the most popular alpha in their pack, it wasn’t really surprising that such a situation found him in the end and once again, his heart throbbed with unshed pain. Baekhyun rarely showed how affected he actually was by all this, but right now with the other standing behind him, it was way harder than usual.

“ Baekhyun-ah…”

“ It’s okay, I will go get my dustpan to clean this up,” he replied, not showing him his expression and instead walking into his hut. Life never had been easy, not once, but when he was together with Chanyeol, it felt like everything was okay. Now that that was threatened as well, he was scared for the first time in his life. Knowing that their friendship was already risky enough, it was nerve-wracking to imagine something worse.

Nevertheless, he found his way back out after a few minutes, only to see the other having cleaned up the petals already. His hands were filled with the flowers, his eyes sad and shiny. For once, it felt like the world stood still, because did he really deserve this?

Maybe, but it was hard to imagine.

“ You didn’t have to.”

“ I know, but I wanted to. Are you okay?” Chanyeol asked before throwing the flowers away and instead taking a step closer, throwing a shadow over Baekhyun’s smaller frame. Alpha’s were all the same, led by their instincts, arrogant and terribly masculine. His best friend though, was the complete opposite, the only one that made him feel comforted and safe.

“ No, but I will be. More importantly, I want to thank you for today. You made me really happy.”   


The brief silence between them wasn’t awkward or tense, because both were blushing quite obviously before laughter followed. It had always been like that, just them and the pull of their hearts. Now it felt the tiniest bit different, because Baekhyun actually had the desire to give Chanyeol something back, for everything he had done for him up till now.

“ Can you lean down a bit?”

“ Of course.”

His soft lips found the alpha’s sharp cheekbone for a small kiss, one that worsened the red color on their faces but also set their chests on fire. It was a small step, but one into a direction they were still a bit scared of.

“ Sincerely thank you, Chanyeol-ah.”


	3. Chapter Two

Was it relief he felt, when he had the upper hand and pressed his combat boot harder against Chanyeol’s throat?

It did feel good to have control, but he could also feel his heart beating frantically to the point he knew he would no longer be able to focus on his own breathing. The other looked so different, way older and more mature, but the warmth in his eyes was still there. The beautiful light brown color that reminded him of coffee.

Baekhyun knew he was supposed to feel hatred, which he did, but why was a small part of his heart yearning?

“ Baekhyun, do you have everything under control?”   


Blinking his eyes and looking back at Junmyeon, who was tying up the alphas, he nodded his head and then took a deep breath before pulling Chanyeol up by his collar, slim fingers wrapping into the brown colored material. 

The other was in trance, not quite believing what was happening nor that someone he thought he would never see again, was currently right in front of him. He looked unfamiliar and yet not one bit, briefly reminiscing the last memory he had of Baekhyun.

“ Keep quiet and let me tie your hands. If you don’t play along, you will get hurt,” the omega explained, the coldness in his voice frightening Chanyeol to some extent, but he decided to play along, because after all, the situation seemed hopeless.

The bonfire they had put up was slowly dying down, the longer they sat there, all tied up and forced to stare at the other guys who were looking down upon them. The tension was threatening, because none of them had a clue on what was going on, until Junmyeon stepped closer, his red hair flaring in the light of the fire.

" I’m sure you all don’t know why we are here, am I right?”   


Of course there was an uproar, some alphas thinking it would be a good idea to try and fight back, only to end up with a kick to the face. Kyungsoo was quiet when it came to their missions, but not when it came to shutting people up and after all, he was their best fighter. Watching them choke on their own spit was amusing, Baekhyun had to admit that, but while he tried to focus on the situation itself, he could not ignore the constant eyes that were on him.

Chanyeol was the most quiet out of all those guys sitting on the dirt, even though he was their leader and it was a strong contrast to how the omega would have thought he would react. His gentle gaze was not leaving the smaller’s face and it indeed felt like he couldn’t believe what was happening.

“ Recessive omegas. You all hate them and we know that. How does it feel to now be within the hold of those? Probably shameful,” Junmyeon said non casually, his hands being covered in leather gloves while he balanced a knife on two of his fingers. His skills were impressive, his sharpness uncanny and Baekhyun admired him  _ so _ much.

“ We know what some of you are engaging in, we know that you use some of us for your own selfish needs and we also know that there is a head of this whole organised crime. That’s why we are here, give us names and you won’t face any harm.”

It was then that the alpha’s seemed to realize that this was serious and not just a joke, because some started to talk and some panicked. A ridiculous sight, in Baekhyun’s eyes. They had planned this attack for months and now they were here, together with a bunch of cowards. Well, that was until he heard a familiar voice speak up, one he didn’t listen to in seven years.

“ I sincerely don’t know what you are talking about. We, as a pack, have been living here for years, we rarely ever leave for other places. What type of organized crime are you speaking of? Who even are you? This all seems like an awkward attempt of overthrowing the system.”   


“ Don’t fuck with me-” Baekhyun yelled, before he walked over and grabbed Chanyeol’s collar once more, their faces being closer than earlier and the anger in his eyes was more prominent as well. For years he had carried those negative and strong emotions around, but he still had enough composure to not let them slip, “ You alphas don’t care one bit about us recessive omegas. We are just an eyesore and a plaything for y’all. Our organisation has proof for the wrongs you’ve been doing, we have proof that some of you here are involved, so why act cowardly now?”   


The silence was suffocating, wouldn’t it have been for the taller’s sudden dirty laugh. It didn’t have a mean undertone, it was rather emotionless and it left the omega utterly confused. This wasn’t the moment to show weakness nor that he was affected by it, so he instead shoved his ex best friend towards the floor, not caring that he was coughing on the whirled up dirt.

“ You changed, Baekhyun.”   


Freezing for the slightest bit of a second, he looked at Junmyeon who just nodded his head and walked back into the line of his brothers, not reacting to his words at all. They were here for business after all, not for small talk.

“ So none of you want to speak up? Did I understand that correctly?”

Met with nothing but quietness, their leader stopped spinning the knife and instead kneeled down to ram it into the leg of one of the alphas, watching him scream in pain. This was all according to plan, because they knew who was involved, at least they knew three of them. That one with the knife cutting right through his muscles was Jihoon, an idiot who ended up being caught in the act when he tried to rape one of Baekhyun’s brothers.

They let him go though and traced his pathetically obvious footprints all throughout the woods, in order to be able to find the pack territory and it was funny to see that he seemed to recognize Junmyeon, because the fear in his eyes was deeply engraved.

“ Let’s start with you, sweetheart. We will interrogate all of you, one by one, make sure to reply honestly or else you will be the next one with a knife up your thigh.”

-

Baekhyun knew it would take hours for one of them to finally speak up without being hurt first and that’s why he mostly stood in the background, tired of their arrogant behavior and annoying laughter. Even though he had been aware of Chanyeol now being the leader of the pack, he would have not expected to be this affected by seeing him again. There was so much hatred in his heart, so many suppressed and locked away memories and he did not plan on letting them out any time soon.

Nevertheless, now standing outside he found his eyes looking at the other again, only to see that he was already staring. It was annoying, maybe more than that, because who gave him the right to even look at Baekhyun in the first place? But then it hit him, he looked different. His once so smooth and soft skin was covered with a big scar now, which raked from the middle of his forehead down to his left cheek and just letting his fingers slide over it, fueld the anger once more.

Maybe he found him ugly? Maybe he was so disgusted by the way he looked, that he simply could not stop staring? It made him subconsciously bite his lips, before he stopped his spiraling thoughts because after all, it was Chanyeol’s fault that he looked the way he did today.

“ Baekhyun-ah, bring the next one in.”   


Pushing his worries to the side, he walked over to where the rest was sitting. By now, there were only a few left and he was able to remember all of them, disgusting alphas that bullied him when he was still with them. The one right in front of him was called Donghyun, one year older than him and Chanyeol, but lacking common sense and morals.

“ You. Come with me.”   


Grabbing his shoulder, he pulled him up and forced him along to the hut which they had turned into a place for interrogation, feeling his eyes on him. It was just a mere second in which he did not focus on the alpha, when said guy grabbed his ass, in front of all the others that were still waiting. 

“ Man you grew some nice as-”

Baekhyun did not even give him time to finish what he was saying before he threw him over his own shoulder and onto the ground, making sure his head hit it. The silence that met them was suffocating and yet, the thing he needed while his shoe pressed against the other’s face.

“ Entitled bastard. Touch me again and you’re dead,” he gritted through his teeth, his eyes glowing a bright yellowish brown. It wouldn’t be the first time that happened and he definitely wouldn’t hold back either, this just gave him the opportunity to talk to all of them once more, “ If one of you tries something similar, I won’t hesitate to shoot an arrow right between your eyes.”

Dragging him towards the hut by his hair, the omega threw him into Kyungsoo’s arms, not meeting his brother’s eyes because he knew he was way too agitated.

“ Here you go, make sure to tie his hands a bit tighter.”

-

After what felt like hours, they were down to the last person, Park Chanyeol, and even if the omega didn’t admit it out loud, he was nervous about this whole situation. Nevertheless, he grabbed him in the same manner and this time did not leave the room, purposely standing in the doorframe to listen to what they were talking about.

“ Park Chanyeol, the leader of this pack since, two weeks? Am I right?”

“ Correct. My father is still controlling everything, but he gave the main missions to me,” the alpha replied, weirdly enough not even hesitating. There was no funny intention in his voice, nor did he seem annoyed or stressed. He was calm and relaxed and he seemed to be willing to talk.

“ Do you want to tell us something? Or are you going to play dumb?”

“ I won’t play dumb, but I also won’t tell you anything, simply because I don’t even know what you were talking about back then.”   


Briefly stepping forward at his cocky reply, Kyungsoo held Baekhyun back in order to calm him down, because now wasn’t the time to interrupt the conversation, even if he wanted to rip his perfect black hair out from their roots.

“ Are you sure? You want to tell me that you are not aware of some of your pack brothers being involved in selling and using recessive omegas for their own pleasure?” Junmyeon asked, before he rammed the knife he was holding into the wooden table between them. It was a sign of him being impatient and Baekhyun knew, sooner or later this situation would not end well.

What met them was silence, one that was telling so much while actually not saying anything and something within the smaller’s chest just squeezed tightly. This was a job, not a reunion he should dwell on, which is why he walked over to the table and pulled on the knife, before sitting down on Chanyeol’s lap. Nothing about this was even close to romantic or some sort of seducing. This was forced, while he pressed the blade against the alpha’s throat, watching him bop his adam’s apple.

“ Speak the fuck up. Now.”

“ Let me ask something back before I reply,” Chanyeol suggested before his eyes found the smaller man once more, this time with such an intense stare that Baekhyun wanted to run away. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it made him want to hide and that was terrible enough, “ How is it possible that you are still alive, Baekhyun-ah?”.


	4. Chapter Three

Taking a deep breath and enjoying the fresh air that surrounded them, Chanyeol looked up to the sky while he leaned a bit more against the tree behind him, only snapping out of his thoughts when there was squirming between his legs.

Baekhyun had fallen asleep after they had gone for a walk and sat down here, his head resting against the alpha’s chest while his black hair was moving with every gust of wind. It was peaceful when no one else was around and it gave him the time to appreciate his best friend, his whole existence to be exact.

No one had ever been able to entrance him like the omega did. Sure they’ve known each other since they were small, but no one else played in the league, in which Baekhyun was leading by huge steps. Stroking his long fingers through the other’s locks, he let them wander down to his soft full cheeks, smiling when it stirred him awake.

“ ...Did I fall asleep?”   


“ Hm, but it’s okay, me too,” Chanyeol lied, having been up the whole time. Watching the other stretch his arms and then turn around between his legs, he met his pretty eyes and moved a loose strand behind Baekhyun’s ear, liking the feeling of the silkiness against his hand.

It was in that moment, that the omega felt a squeeze of his heart, one that told him more than any amount of words could ever do and he blushed. Simply blushed so brightly that his cheeks started to glow red. He knew the taller did not mind or would ever judge, but it was still embarrassing.

“ I know you’re lying, your eyes tell a whole other story,” he giggled, his tiny hands reaching out to pinch the alpha’s sides. A weak spot, one that made him look so adorable when he tried to squirm away from it.

“ Baekhyun-ah, how about we shift and run together? It’s just us two, no one else.”   


A brave request, because for the omega it wasn’t the easiest. Being recessive, he was smaller, weaker and quite practically useless as a wolf, but just thinking about running with Chanyeol made his face light up and he ended up nodding his head, before both of them got up. His best friend was the first to shift, revealing his big beautiful wolf with shimmering brown fur. A strong independent alpha, unlike himself.

Baekhyun had to take a few more moments before he was able to shift as well, into a silver fured, tinier wolf, one that was the most gorgeous one in Chanyeol’s eyes. Being like this was freeing and calming, especially when they ran into the forest and listened to the rustling of the leaves and the grass under their paws.

With the alpha he always felt the safest and it was also the reason why he decided to be so daring, by jumping onto the other. It was a lot of fun until they tumbled to the ground and rolled around, creating a literal dust cloud. Nevertheless, they came to a halt when Baekhyun was the one laying down and Chanyeol was hovering above him, their snouts rubbing against each other.

Actually, this counted as their first kiss and it made both of them go quiet until they simply stared at one another. The omega’s heart was beating frantically the more time passed by and he decided it would be for the better to shift back, not really thinking about the situation itself and rather stroking his hand along Chanyeol’s fur now.

Staying together like this, filled him with such a high amount of serotonin that for once, he ignored the nervousness and instead pressed his forehead against the other’s wolf form, “ Can you shift back as well? I...I want to give you a real kiss.”   


It shouldn’t have made him laugh as much as it did when Chanyeol did exactly that, at the speed of light, their naked bodies hovering against each other. For now that wasn’t the main focus, especially not when the taller man stroked his rough fingers over Baekhyun’s face again, only this time to tilt his head up and press their lips together. It was as if a million sets of fireworks went off inside their bodies because of this one single smooch they gifted each other.

The softness was terribly addicting and even if the smaller wanted to continue this, the longer they kissed, he could not stop freezing up when he felt the alpha press against him between his legs. It should have been a beautiful moment, but the memory of his recessive body and the eyes on him, brought back a situation he probably would never be able to forget. And that is also why he gently pushed his friend away, eyes filled with nervous tears.

“ Baekhyun?? Is everything okay?”

No, nothing was okay, not when that certain moment came crashing down onto him like a cold wave and sent him right to a place he usually ignored like the pest.

-

“ Quickly, we need help!” Chanyeol yelled through the small town, his eyes brimming with tears because of the sheer panic inside his veins. No one was willing to listen, because it was about Baekhyun and he absolutely despised every one of them for not even turning around.

That was until he practically ran head first into their doctor’s back, stumbling back slightly. There was no time for rationality, when he grabbed his hands and dragged him towards his best friend’s hut, glad he did not fight back. And once there, he immediately ran to Baekhyun’s side to feel his forehead, frowning when he squirmed in pain and cried more than a few minutes ago.

“ It...It just randomly started to hurt and then it gradually got worse. He says his lower stomach feels like it’s being ripped apart, since then he did not move and his fever is getting higher as well. I don’t know what is happening, doctor.”

If it hadn’t been obvious by his previous actions that he was worrying, it was now more than clear and Chanyeol felt relief rush through his body when the other man came closer to also kneel down. His expert hands gently started to press onto the omega’s skin, stopping every time he cried out loud and it was hell, only being able to watch the scene unfold.

“ It is his heat, the first one, but…”

The pause of his talking made the tall alpha blink his eyes in confusion, while one of his hands was holding Baekhyun’s, just trying to comfort him at least a little bit. Throughout their friendship there had been various moments that erupted panic within his heart, simply because their relationship was looked down onto by so many. He wouldn’t have been able to take another hit to the back.

“ But what?? Is he okay??”

“ He is. Baekhyun-ah, you are recessive, most likely. Your symptoms are not normal and the fact that there is only a small amount of pheromones in this room makes me worry. We can’t do much about this, you have to endure this period of pain, try to take some herbal medicine, I need to tell this our pack leader.”   


“ Wh-why?” Baekhyun replied tiredly, his body feeling numb and strained while he genuinely was panicking. Just hearing the mention of their pack leader send shivers down his spine and even though he wanted to cry, he was unable to, his eyes already dried out from the amount of tears that stained the mattress.

“ We...We never had a recessive omega in our pack, it is unusual.”   


“ What do you mean, unusual? Are you saying he is not one of us??”

It was Chanyeol who got angry first, his voice raised and hurting the smaller’s ears and yet, it made his heart pound against his chest. After all, the alpha was the only one on his side ever since they started to get closer. Maybe it indeed was because of his heat, but right in that moment the other looked so damn attractive, in a non sexual way.

“ No, I-”

“ It is exactly what you meant. Him being recessive does not change anything, right?”

The rest of the conversation was more than blurry to the smaller, because at one point he blacked out completely from the pain. It was a horrible experience to get to know that one wasn’t part of the  _ normal  _ ones but it hurt more to be told he was weird, disgusting, ugly and worse.

-

That was probably the number one reason why he was now close to crying while his naked body was pressing against the grass they were laying on. Not because Chanyeol touched him or kissed him, not because he saw him naked, but because he knew and felt like his body was worthless, unattractive and not like the others. He was weird after all, especially now that he was hyper aware about everything.

“Ch-Chanyeol-ah, please take me home...please…”   


The alpha did not even question it, he just got up, wrapped Baekhyun into his own shirt and brought him back to his hut. They were quiet and yet there was so much being said without their lips moving. When he laid down in bed, Chanyeol had already helped him into his pajamas and laid behind him, just holding the smaller by his waist. They often did this, just to calm down and sleep but now the reason for that was much more different and the omega knew that his best friend wanted to know what happened.

“ I ruined our date, I’m sorry.”

“ No, you did not ruin anything, Baekhyun-ah. Do you feel better now?” he asked in the softest tone possible and the smaller just felt like melting, which is why he turned around and pressed his head against his best friend’s chest, seeking even more comfort than what he already provided. Maybe it was his scent or just his presence overall, but it drove Baekhyun insane to know that he was the only one allowed being this close.

“ I do, thanks to you. It was just...I don’t feel comfortable showing my body, it really has nothing to do with you, I pro-”

“Shhh…” Chanyeol whispered and successfully made him shut up, with his lips carefully pressing against the omega’s forehead. He knew things like those never had been an easy conversation and maybe it was also partly his fault for suggesting to shift, making him pull the other even closer to be able to hug him properly. During times like those he knew Baekhyun relied on his strength and he would have given him everything, if he would have asked for it.

“ The only thing that matters is that you feel better now, that is what we should focus on. Nothing else.”


	5. Chapter Four

While the moon was now at a full figure up in the sky, they were walking through the dark forest, back to their own territory. Baekhyun was ahead of all of them, his bow in one of his hands while his grip was almost deadly. It hurt to feel the wood press into his skin, but the pain was a distraction to the intrusive thoughts he wanted to get rid of.

Junmyeon was closely walking behind him, holding both Chanyeol and Sehun, another alpha of the other pack, by their arms while their eyes were blindfolded. None of the other men spilled any sort of information to them and they knew they could not let them go just like that, so they decided to take them hostage as well as an alpha named Jongin who was being led by Kyungsoo.

Feeling the dew grass against his boots, the omega took a deep breath and tried to calm down from the immense headache that threatened to take over any time soon, simply because of the conversation that rang in his ears.

_ “...How is it possible that you are still alive...” _

There had been no spite in Chanyeol’s voice, nor hate, disgust or anything like that. Not when Baekhyun was able to stare into his brown dark eyes from up close and witness some sense of relief and yet, confusion.

What was he supposed to answer? Surprise? When the taller was the one who had wanted to see him dead? 

Just remembering it made the anger boil like hot lava inside of his veins and before he knew it, one of his arrows had hit an innocent bunny in the distance. He knew there were eyes on him, because he felt them bore holes into his back but he was not in the mood to talk and certainly not when it meant he had to reveal his worries.

Instead of that, he walked ahead and grabbed the dead animal by its ears, before being the first to arrive at their territory and also the first to use the showers. He had sweated due to their running and fighting and he also needed some space alone, just for him and his thoughts.

-

It felt good to take off all the gear he was wearing, including the tight black corset and the equally tight pants. There were red stripes over his already bruised skin, old burn marks that never really left and it made him hyper aware that he had forgotten to take care of them properly. There was a reason for the scars and damaged skin and it made him think about Chanyeol really briefly, before he turned the water on and rushed under the cold spray.

Those were memories he wanted to suppress forever, if possible, and it worked quite good when he started to focus on the hot water that warmed up his aching muscles. Once dried up and changed into a black shirt and black pants, he did not take care of his silver hair and instead walked back out to where his brother’s were sitting around the bonfire, Junmyeon with a cigarette between his dainty fingers.

“ Baekhyun-ah, come have dinner. The rabbit you killed does not taste  _ that  _ bad.”   


“ Where are they?” he asked, when his feet carried him over to where they were sitting, hands subconsciously hovering over the bright flame. It felt good, this numbness that rushed through the body the more he focused on the red and orange colors, but he knew deep inside, that he was an absolute mess.

“ Behind bars. They did not fight back at all, it was a good idea to take the leader and his stupid dogs. We will talk to them tomorrow, but you can bring them the rest of the food that is left. They need to eat after all.”   


As annoying as it sounded, they really had to eat and Baekhyun knew better than to argue with their leader. Nevertheless it did not mean that he was supposed to act gently with the food, which is why he tossed it together onto one plate and then walked towards where he already saw them sit behind bars, their heads hanging low. Expect Chanyeol’s.

“ Here, food. Eat it and be grateful that we even give you something.”   


“ Should we also be grateful that you decided to drag us through the forest and let us sit in the dirt?” the tall alpha replied dryly, obviously trying to stir the omega up but with no avail. There was still the moment they shared earlier, when Baekhyun pressed against him on his lap, the knife cutting into his throat just lightly, right up inside their heads and it was uncomfortable.

Even though he really wasn’t in the mood for talking or meeting his eyes, the omega did and he instantly regretted it. There was the same sort of worry inside his orbs and it confused him endlessly.

“ Yeah, actually you should because when I sat down on your lap, I had been ready to kill you. I can still do that if you don’t shut up. Be grateful.”   


Pushing the plate towards them, he gave those three one last glance and then left, not sure where to sort the things he was feeling, because even though they had talked about this situation more than once and he had always agreed that it would be okay for him, he simply had not expected to be pulled harshly back to their past, feeling shame and sadness taking over his brain once again.

-

Several days passed by in which Baekhyun had not wanted to associate himself with the alphas at all and let Kyungsoo do the work but when a certain Thursday rolled around, he was forced to be faced with something quite unexpected. Not only did he know the other omega over six years now, he also was sure he knew every little secret that involved him, but watching him hold Jongin’s hand through the bars, when he thought no one was watching, confused him immensely.

It was early morning when he had woken up to loud noises outside his hut and now he was motionlessly standing there, staring at his friend kissing the enemy. What did he miss that this shook him to the core? How was it possible for another person he trusted, to betray him? The confusion was also probably the main reason why he ran towards Kyungsoo without a second thought and jumped onto his body to press him into the ground. They had fought like this a bunch of times, to study movements and everything but now, he pinned him to the ground, with the intent to rip him apart if he said the wrong thing.

“ Y-You...What are you doing? Are you really fucking the enemy? I...I trusted you, you bastard.”   


No sense of rationality was going through his head when he grabbed his friend’s collar and pulled him up to face him closer. He could see the slight fear in his eyes and he also saw his lips moving and saying something, but his ears had numbed out every source. That was until he was harshly pulled back by Junmyeon, only to land on the dirt himself, coughing from the harsh move.

“ Are you both insane? What the fuck are you doing??”

“ Jun, he fucking kissed that alpha bastard on the lips. I saw it with my own two eyes,” Baekhyun replied, completely aware that everyone was looking at him, including Chanyeol who seemed way too focused on his face. He knew he had dirt all over him and he also knew he just spoke back against his leader, but he seriously was unable to function properly.

“ Huh? Kyungsoo is that true??”   


“ It is. I’m sorry,” Kyungsoo answered and sounded not sorry at all which spurred the disappointment within the smaller's rib cage further on. However, instead of punishing him or doing anything worse, Junmyeon hummed under his breath and helped the other back up onto his legs.

“ Time to talk, follow me. And you, Baekhyun, should go cool your head. Never again attack one of your own brothers in such a way. You’ve learned how to properly handle problems, this is not it.”

It was embarrassing. The whole situation and the fact that everyone watched it unfold, but especially because it felt like one of those days back in his old pack, when the omegas bullied him or made fun of his antics and looks. Baekhyun knew that their leader was right, he knew that he shouldn’t have jumped onto him like that but was it necessary to humiliate him in front of the person he hated the most?

Rubbing his hand across his face to get rid of the dirt, his eyes briefly found those of Chanyeol but he ignored him immediately and walked back to his hut, not in the mood to talk to anyone for the rest of the day.

-

It wasn't until late at night, that Junmyeon knocked on his door, eyes glancing up and down Baekhyun’s body. It was quite judgemental but also nothing out of the ordinary because after all, the taller always seemed unimpressed. 

" Calmed down?"

Nodding his head and stepping aside, he watched their leader walk inside and sit down on the small couch right beside his bed, nothing too crazy because he wasn't a fan of fancy stuff anyways.

" What was the outcome of your conversation with  _ him _ ? Will he leave the pack?" Baekhyun asked, fully knowing about their rules and how this was probably the number one reason to part ways. He didn't like that he was so affected by the situation and he knew it was because it reminded him of what he had going on with an alpha in the past.

Kyungsoo was his friend after all, he just wanted to protect him from heartbreak.

" No he won't, he told me everything. About how he and Jongin met, fell in love and how he is not involved in the omega trade. Actually, it seems like he had been one of those Kyungsoo investigated but it turned into more over time."

Not only was this confusing, because how the hell was the other omega able to hide it that well? But it also triggered him, to know that he indeed was in a relationship with someone he despised so damn much.

" Okay, so what now? Are we gonna work with them or what?"

It was a dry joke, followed by a equally dry laugh but it turned into silence when he saw Junmyeon nod his head, " You can't be serious…"

" I am. Jongin is proven to be innocent, Kyungsoo said so. He didn't tell us until now because he was scared. Alpha and recessive omega relationships are rare after all. We decided to trust the other two, just because the trio seems close. There will be a meeting tomorrow and we will talk about everything we know up till now. I know it's not easy for you, Baekhyun-ah, but try to keep it in check."


	6. Chapter Five

The braided leather bracelet felt rough inside of his palms, reminding him of the alpha and how he always held his hand. In his eyes, this was something really special and he could not wait for him to be able to finally give it to Chanyeol. A certain period of time always had to pass by until they had a full moon and were able to hold the mating fest. Something Baekhyun never really had cared for, but now, everything seemed to go into a whole other direction than he had intended.

Sure they were the bestest of friends, but they both knew there was something more and it especially got clear when they had shared that one special kiss. Those were all acts of innocence but the omega simply could not imagine doing such with anyone else but the tall man. Which is why he was even more nervous than usually.

He had even dressed up differently, in a white blouse that made his black hair stand out even more. Baekhyun did not own clothes like the other omegas, but this one piece of fabric had always been for a special occasion. They weren’t supposed to meet until the night and yet, he found himself staring out of his window to watch the alphas decorate the area. Chanyeol was there as well, holding tons of firewood and seeming stronger than he actually was. It was cute and distracting at the same time. 

Before he knew it, darkness had rolled upon their territory and the moon indeed shown the brightest. It was a beautiful contrast to the dark green trees and it reminded him of that one time when they had slept in the woods, no one around them that would have disturbed the silence.

Smiling to himself he got up and walked outside without a second thought, watching the other omegas run past him with bright smiles and rosy cheeks. After all, it was a fest that promised life long relationships and for once, Baekhyun felt included. Nevertheless, before he was even able to reach Chanyeol and the loud music they started to play on their instruments, he touched his pocket and realized he had left the bracelet at home.

Groaning to himself he turned around and walked back, now surrounded by a quiet space due to everyone having left for the main plaza. It was weird how he was able to hear every piece of grass that crushed underneath his shoes and it was even weirder when there was a second pair of steps right behind him.

Moving his head around, there was no one and he sincerely started to believe that he was going crazy, so the moment he was inside his hut again, he felt definitely safer. Staring right across towards his bed, Baekhyun smiled when he found the leather bracelet and moved to pick it up, but got interrupted by a loud crashing sound.

It shook him to the core and for the first time in forever he was genuinely scared. There was no one outside, nor did he know where the noise had come from. That was until it started to smell like smoke. Tons of it. Moving around to find the source he realized it was coming from his entrance, but when he tried to open the door it was locked from the outside, not moving even in the slightest.

Feeling his lips quiver, Baekhyun did not understand what was going on, before he screamed for help, knowing it was probably useless because his hut was further away from the other's and yet, when he saw fire moving right under his door inside his room, he yelled even louder, tears streaming down his tender face.

There was no way he would have known what was happening, especially not when it came out of the blue, leaving him to freeze up right in the middle of the small kitchen he owned. Remembering the small window, he ran for it to open it but instead was met with a stone being thrown right through it, one shard of glass cutting the skin of his forehead and cheek.

It burned like hell, but then it felt numb because suddenly he understood that this was planned. Whoever did this, wanted to get rid of him and the worst thing about this was, that no one would have helped him anyways. Only Chanyeol, that strong and soft alpha he adored so much.

Which is why he started to scream his name, smoke invading his lungs to the point he started to cough heavily and even though he tried his best to be strong and loud, the intoxication got worse, until he blacked out from the lack of oxygen.

Was this death? 

So soon and sudden? 

There were thoughts swirling around his head, pain on his body and face and even though he had felt like he died, Baekhyun woke up with dew grass pressing against his lips. It took him several minutes to even be able to blink his eyes, not understanding where he was and what had happened, but then it clicked.

_ The fire. _

Getting up and tumbling from side to side, he had absolutely no clue what was going on or how he had gotten here, because all that was on his mind was this terrible fear of being left alone. He did not even care about the pack, but he cared about the other alpha. So damn much.

Just thinking about him and knowing he was somewhere else, left the tears to run over his bloody face and while he tried to balance himself, the coughing hurting his chest, he found a familiar spot of a tree, knowing he wasn't that far away from their territory. It was a hill he was on, able to look down at everyone partying while his hut had burned completely down in the distance and it immensely confused him.

Did they really not care at all? Was this planned by all of them? It couldn't be, right? Not...a _ ll _ of them.

Falling to the ground the moment his legs gave in, he forced himself to stay awake, eyes seeking the presence of his best friend, knowing he should have been somewhere, until it felt like his world had stopped completely. 

Chanyeol was holding a stone, the exact same one that was thrown through his window and it looked like he laughed, his vision was blurry so it got harder to watch them and it hurt even blinking his eyes. It felt surreal, no, actually it felt like someone had ripped his heart out and squeezed it to ashes right in front of his face, knowing the one person he had trusted was involved as well.

The tears were running freely over his cheeks and even though he tried to scream, he was too far away and his lungs hurt so badly, stopping any sound from coming out. Why did they try to kill him? Wouldn't it have been enough to kick him out? And why was his best friend involved? The one he had kissed so tenderly only days ago.

Was everything a lie?

Just the thought of that made him bawl even harder, eyes hurting from the salt. Baekhyun felt pain all over his body, a numbness as well but it could not have been compared to the way his heart was breaking, over and over again. So he really was just a recessive omega in the end?

Everyone was right about no one ever being able to love him?

Rolling onto his back and coughing harshly, there was a raindrop landing on his cheek and then one more until it poured down like crazy. It felt as if a switch was turned off and another on, because from one moment to the other the omega thought that death would have been a better option than living through this hell and maybe that was also why he gave up when the blackness in front of his eyes got darker, slowly sinking into this empty feeling.

-

It dawned on him that he in fact, did not die, when there was a brief touch against this face and even though a flash of Chanyeol's face came rushing to his head, he shut it off and instead sat up abruptly, body hurting like hell.

His eyes could not get used to the sudden brightness of whatever hut he was in, but he knew this was not  _ home  _ and certainly not a place he ever went to. Feeling his heartbeat quickening, he sensed movement from the corner of the room and it scared him to the point he scrambled to the nearest corner, body shaking heavily.

" W-Who…"

" Please don't be scared, I am just taking care of your wounds."

Wounds...right. 

Now that he heard about them, he indeed felt the piercing ache on his face and chest. It was worse than before and he actually realized how badly he had been wounded during the fire. The man in front of him didn't seem like a bad person, because his eyes were soft and gentle and maybe that's why Baekhyun nodded his head and let him come closer.

" I am Junmyeon, by the way. We found you when we went out to hunt and saw how badly you're wounded. The cuts are not deep but they will leave scars. Also, the skin on your chest is burned and I will apply an ointment that will cool it for at least some time. It is possible that you will end up with a fever, so if you want to, I would like you to stay with us for some time."

Listening to his words, the smaller hummed under his breath, not sure if he could trust the other or if he would be tricked again, the pain was the only thing that kept him from running away at this point. Knowing he was being taken care of felt good though and it made him close his eyes, trying not to hiss at the pressure against his forehead.

"....Thank you, for picking me up and helping me...I thought I would die there.."

" I know you won't tell me what happened, but let me assure you that you are safe here, for as long as you need to be. I didn't mean to, but I noticed the weak scent on you and I realized that you're a recessive omeg-"

It made Baekhyun jump away from the touch of his hand, fear creeping up his body like a cold shudder and forcing him to choke on the air that was combusting inside his lungs. Was this a trick? Would he end up being treated like a piece of trash once more?

He knew he wouldn't survive that again and that genuinely terrified him to the core.

" I am...I will leave if you don't want to have people like  _ me  _ around you, just please don't hurt me…"

At that moment he noticed the soft eyes again, but this time they were filled with worry and confusion, distracting Baekhyun enough to let Junmyeon come closer to touch his hair. A comforting touch and yet feeling hazardous. 

" We would never, after all, we all are recessive. "


	7. Chapter Six

It was like a call of freedom whenever he was alone  _ and  _ had the chance to work on his skills, especially the bow. One thing that Junmyeon had started teaching him the moment he had asked for it, after arriving at their pack.

The arrows he used were made of black wood, too precious to let them be damaged, that's why he always went after them to pick them up again. Now though, there were at least five of them stuck to the training wall in front of him. The clogged up anger found a ventile and it was using strength to get rid of the bad emotions. 

Nevertheless, when he had thought he was alone, he noticed a shadow right behind his back. Several days had passed by since they decided to work together with the three alpha’s and Baekhyun avoided them like the pest. Especially Chanyeol. What a surprise that the latter stood against a tree now, obviously watching him and the work he was practicing.

For the omega it wasn’t a bad thing when others joined or wanted advice, but with the alpha that was a whole other thing because there was nothing but toxic waves between them. 

" What do you want here? If you're not going to practice, I suggest you leave."

He knew his voice was as cold as ice, similar to when he held the knife against the tall man's throat and he hoped for him to leave him alone once more. Pointing his arrow at the apple in front of him, Baekhyun let go and watched it snap in half, satisfied for the first time this day, only to then see the other walking closer.

Chanyeol was honestly still mesmerized by the fact that Baekhyun was alive and stronger than ever, but he also knew there was this immense hate between them and he didn't want to die so he kept a distance. What he couldn't stop though, were his eyes finding the smaller wherever he went, a habit he never let go of no matter how much time passed by.

" Junmyeon was looking for you and I decided to take it upon me to find you. Guess I was quick."

" Yeah you were, you can leave again. I will go look for him once I'm done," he replied and started picking up the arrows, agitated when he saw Chanyeol not leaving at all but instead sitting down on a tree stump.

" You still didn't answer my question and I already got another one for you. Where did you get the scar from? It looks like it hurts."

That was maybe the turning point of the way he felt, because from one second to the other he was pointing the bow at the alpha, right up his head. He knew he was shaking badly, but just knowing that the other was acting this ruthless and disgusting, Baekhyun simply wasn't able to hold back.

" Are you fucking serious right now? You ask  _ me  _ where I got that scar from? Seven years sure is a long time, but not long enough to forget what you've done to me," he said with a strained voice, eyes blurring up from the anger that rose within his body. Why was he forced to face his miserable past  _ and  _ be treated like a fool? It didn't seem fair and Baekhyun knew he reached his limit.

Chanyeol on the other side had his hands up above his head now, showing no signs of wanting to fight back. Instead of that he seemed confused, his eyes looking left and right while his mouth was trembling. Maybe he did fear death in that moment and it empowered the smaller, until he saw a bracelet shining on the alpha’s wrist.

The sunlight hit it only for a brief second, but it was enough for him to almost break down. The leather was familiar and the braided style as well, bringing back memories he wanted to forget and while he tried not to snap, he had already walked closer, the bow lowered. 

" W-Where did you get that from?..."

" What?" The taller asked breathlessly, following the omega’s eyes until he saw that he meant the bracelet. How was he supposed to explain that he had found it all those years ago and kept it close, to not forget the man which he no longer recognized?

" Where did  _ you  _ get that fucking bracelet from? Tell. Me".

There was so much pain in his voice, so much fear and also disappointment and Baekhyun knew his face was probably contoured with it, eyes shiny due to angry tears. He didn't want to cry nor did he want to show any sort of weakness, but how was he supposed to control himself when the other man acted innocent?

" Give it to me, you don't deserve to wear it."

" No, I won't. "

Reaching over to grab Chanyeol's wrist, the smaller tried to rip it off, shocked when he actually found resistance. Luckily enough, he was taught martial arts by Junmyeon and that's why he kicked the other's legs and watched him fall to the ground, immediately climbing onto his hips to hold him in place.

" You lost every right to wear this, when you threw that stone through my window, all those years ago. The audacity to ask where I got the scar from, when it was you who caused it," he spitted out, hands gripping the alpha’s wrists even harder until he could see the skin turn red. It was the held back wave of negative emotions that forced him to act like he did and he wasn't even finished yet," And now you won't give me the bracelet? What game are you playing? Do you want to ridicule me again? Wasn't once enough?".

"Ba-Baekhyun, what are you even talking about?? What stone?"

The laughter that filled the air between them was dry and drenched in pain, Baekhyun stopping the second he pressed one of the arrows against the other’s throat, this time harder. It was a thrill he had learned to love, why was it so much more painful now though?

" I can't stand you, acting all innocent and nice. You played me, you always did and then you got rid of me together with everyone else. Why am I forced to see you every day now? Is this divine punishment?"

" I-I, you are misunderstanding something...I did-"

"BAEKHYUN. Get off him. Now."

Flinching at the loud noise and immediately recognizing the voice, Baekhyun removed the arrow from Chanyeol’s throat and moved off of his hips, listening to the order he had been told. No one, literally non one, was allowed to tell him what to do, except Junmyeon. And he also did not fight back or argue when said person reached over to grab his collar, trying to find the reason within the smaller’s eyes.

“ This is the second time, a third and we will have to punish you. What is going on in your head??”

“ I’m sorry, he just...he just hit a nerve. I shouldn’t have acted out like this,” Baekhyun admitted, purposely holding back the information he actually had, before giving the alpha a death glare. Junmyeon was the fatherly figure he never had and that is also why he listened to every word he said and made sure to always do everything right. A mistake like this was embarrassing and he knew the other was disappointed with him.

“ Don’t do this again. We decided to work together, if you continue to act like this you will risk our mission.”   


“ About that, when will you tell us about what is  _ really _ going on?” Chanyeol interrupted and stood awkwardly right in front of them, just annoying the smaller omega with his mere presence and yet, he knew they had to tell them  _ everything  _ and he knew he had to participate in doing so.

-

Watching it all go down from a distance was the best decision Baekhyun had ever made, because not only was it amusing to see the alpha’s in utter disbelief but it was also reliving to not being forced to stand right beside Chanyeol. 

So while Junmyeon was explaining their situation, he sat on one of the chairs in their main hut, sharpening his arrows.

" To come straight to the point, recessive omegas keep disappearing. Not only for two weeks, but for over three years now. It took us quite long to find out what the reason for that was, turns out alpha’s had taken them hostage, drugged them, sold them and in the worst case even killed them."

" You can't be serious," Sehun replied, now standing up from where he was sitting to get closer to the other omega. He wasn't showing a dominating stance, but he indeed got too close, which is why Junmyeon reached for his dagger to keep him at a distance. 

" Alphas of your pack are involved, which is the reason why we attacked you in the first place. About three weeks ago we got a massive hint about the leader of that whole illegal organisation, knowing he is the one who also leads your pack. That is why we wanted Park Chanyeol, but it turns out you are not the real leader, isn't that true?"

" It is. My father is still the head of the pack, but does that mean that you are indicating that he is the head of the organization? This can't be true."

" It is, though? Wasn't it enough proof that most of the alphas in your pack begged us to not hurt them because they weren't allowed to spill the truth? You all are a bunch of hypocrites. What do you think us  _ recessive  _ omegas are able to do? Nothing, because you all hate us. So why should we lie? Knowing you won't believe anything we say," Baekhyun interrupted the conversation, not looking up from where he was sliding his thumb along the sharp edge of his arrow. It was annoying enough to have them spend time with the alphas, so why were they also acting like cowards on top of that?

" Baekhyun-ah, keep that to yourself. Right now is certainly not the time to react with anger," Junmyeon replied, one hand of his gently patting the younger's shoulder and it made him blush slightly. After all, this was a big honor and no matter what would happen, the other would always be his hero.

" Anyways back to the topic, due to no one wanting to tell us anything, we took you three with us because you seemed like the ones who have the best connections. It's easy, if you think this injustice needs to be stopped, help us, if not we have no other option but to start a war. And I definitely don't care about the lives of alphas who don't respect us."

It was dead silent.

Not only because Junmyeon’s words were hard to swallow, but also because there was nothing to argue against. At least not if one used their head. Looking at the alphas and the way all three of them were quiet, Baekhyun felt eyes on him. It was Kyungsoo who was staring with such a sad gaze that the omega simply couldn't ignore it for long. But still, seeing him mouth ' _ can we talk _ ?' was enough to make him whistle through his teeth, completely ignoring his best friend again.

" So, can we count on you?"

The question was rather a demand and it was amazing to see Junmyeon be way more dominant than those that were supposed to be. Baekhyun involuntarily found Chanyeol once again and witnessed how he took a step forward, his big hand reaching out to shake that of their leader's and it made him feel weirdly calm.

" You can. This whole situation is still rather suspicious to us, but I can't imagine you making up all of this simply because it's fun. So as long as we will see results, we won't hesitate to help."


	8. Chapter Seven

It was when the sun started to turn a dark orange, indicating its introduction to the moon, that Baekhyun finally stopped practising. He had been going at it for days now, turning all the pent up stress, confusion and sadness into force, while shooting his arrows and training martial arts with some of his brothers. The smaller had successfully avoided Kyungsoo and his disgusting act of love whenever Jongin crossed his path, as well as Chanyeol.

Ever since their conversation about their mission and the missing omegas, the few alphas they had taken with them were living together with them, just like normal beings and it hit the wrong nerve in Baekhyun’s body, because he simply wasn’t able to turn off the knowledge of his ex best friend wearing the bracelet he had made. To some extent it felt humiliating and that was probably the main reason he avoided everyone.

That did not mean he did not notice Chanyeol watching him every once in a while and even though he was supposed to feel annoyed or worse, a small part of him started to crave his attention. Maybe because he wanted to prove to him that he was better off without the alpha, maybe because he had waited for this moment for years.

Right now he was alone though and the darker it started to be, the more he knew he had to stop what he was doing, ending up packing his stuff. It was quiet because the training ground was further away from their huts, but then he picked up rustling from nearby trees and it did not sound like an animal. Nevertheless he knew no one had a clue about their location, which is why he stayed calm and instead focused on the noise getting closer, to properly react.

One movement of his left arm and he had grabbed the wrist of the person behind him forcing him down onto the dirt and sitting on his back. Due to no light source he wasn’t able to immediately see their face, but he heard the groan of pain and it set his nerves on fire. How could he ever forget that voice? Not when it haunts him every damn night.

“ Chanyeol?? Are you insane, creeping up on me like that? I could have killed you.”   


The taller wasn’t dumb, he could sense the slight worry in the other’s voice, but as soon as he noticed it, it was gone again and it left him to focus on the pain in his arm once more, not having thought he would be overthrown this easily. Well, on the other hand Baekhyun changed a lot, he wasn’t the small timid boy from his past anymore, no longer the person he fell for, but right now, he wondered if his feelings actually never left, because the squeeze of his heart told him otherwise.

“ Glad you did not and just sat down on me, which kind of hurts, if I’m being honest.”

Gasping at his words and realizing that he indeed did not move even an inch off of him, the omega let go of his wrist and instead stood up, his eyebrows being furrowed almost cutely, wouldn’t it have been for the death glare within his golden orbs.

“ If that’s all, I will leave now. Don’t do that ever again.”   


“ No, wait. It is not all, I came here because I wanted to talk,” Chanyeol interrupted and subconsciously reached over to grab the smaller’s wrist and regretting that movement almost immediately. Baekhyun froze up within seconds and pulled away from his hold, but he did not leave nor attacked him and that surely was a good sign, “ I want to know what you meant last time. The thing about me and your scar...would you explain it a bit more?”   


“ What is there to explain, Chanyeol? If you can’t remember your own doings, it is quite sad. You were there when everything went down and you held that...that stone, I really don’t want to talk about this.”   


It already angered him enough to be reminded of that certain memory with his scar burning all of a sudden and it made him turn around and grab his bow to seriously leave this time, but as soon as he did that, Chanyeol had grabbed his wrist once more and even though he wanted to slap him for real now, he could not. Not when the taller had this immense pain reflected on his face.

“ That is the thing, Baekhyun. On that day, I was further away from the huts, collecting wood when I saw the flames. I don’t know what you mean when you say I left those scars, the only thing I can tell you is that, yes, I held a stone, but only because I found it when I tried to get into your house and I confronted everyone about it.”   
  
“ You’re lying..”   


“ I’m not. Baekhyun-ah, I wanted...I wanted to mate with you, how would I have been able to even lay a hand on you? I can’t imagine ever doing such a thing…”

Listening to his words felt like sweet torture, because on the one hand the smaller knew that Chanyeol wasn’t the type to ever act like he seemingly did, but on the other hand how was he supposed to trust him and the words which so easily could be a lie. Squirming his arm away from the alpha once more, he eyed him up and down and then sighed dryly, his brown orbs seeming empty.

“ And you want me to believe that? After I lived with it for seven years? Try harder,  _ alpha _ . This is not the way.”

With that he left, one last glance being directed towards the person he did not seem to understand anymore.

-

Just the possibility of everything he had thought of as true, being a lie, evoked an emotion within him that he had thought he had forgotten to feel. Baekhyun was sincerely scared. It sent shivers up and down his body whenever he got reminded of it and it left his knees to feel like jelly. Something he hated to admit.

After their conversation he continued to avoid the taller and every advance he tried to pull in order to get close. Chanyeol never gave up, that just simply did not fit his character, but it was the first time the omega wanted to punch him for that. To his luck, Junmyeon had given him the allowance to lead their martial arts training and that alone was enough for him to let his inner dominance crash to the surface, being faced with the three alphas and their terrible example of fighting.

It was only logical though, because alphas overall leaned towards their wolf side when it came to dangerous situations, for recessive omegas that was like shooting into a black hole, completely useless. To some extent it was even humorous to see them stumble over their own feet, but Baekhyun made sure no one would see that he actually was able to have fun sometimes.

And it was the case once more, right now while facing Sehun, who had his fists up in the air, ready to fight. They both were only dressed in a loose shirt and pants while their naked feet walked over the flat ground of their training hut. The omega was more relaxed though and it was obvious when he landed the first hit right against the taller’s waist, sending him into stumbling.

“ That was too rough!”

“ No, you are just terrible at self defence. Try harder and attack me, see me as a weak little recessive omega, that is something you all are perfect in,” Baekhyun replied with the slightest bit of spite and actually had to take a step back when Sehun attacked. A good move, he had to admit that, but not good enough, “ Again. This time don’t show where you want to aim, you are too obvious.”   


Watching the alpha’s movements, the omega blinked once and then ducked down, avoiding the punch that was thrown towards his face. It made him smirk to see his opponent seeming frustrated and that is why, while Sehun still calmed down from the attack, the smaller got up and jumped onto him from behind, twisting them around until Baekhyun sat on top of the other, his hand pushing down on his throat.

“ You need more training.”   
  
“ I would love too, right now it seems like you want to choke me to death though,” Sehun said and pointed at the omega’s arm, which made him pull away and help the taller back up. It was quiet and Baekhyun hated that there was this never ending pressure on his mind that he could not get rid of, leading him to tap the other’s shoulder to gain his attention.

“ Say, can I ask you something?”

“ Go ahead.”

Reaching for the water bottle they had brought along, the smaller took a big sip and then avoided the alpha's eyes, instead focusing on the way his naked feet felt against the cold ground, “ Did Chanyeol ever tell you about me?”

Maybe it was the wrong way to ask something like this, but on the other hand, Baekhyun honestly had no clue what to do otherwise. He had gotten bad at holding up conversations over the last few years and this right now, was all he could offer without falling apart within.

“ Yeah, actually he still does. I joined the pack three years ago and while getting to know Chanyeol, I also realized how deeply scarred he was. He told me about you and about the special bond you two had, but he also told me about the fire-”

“ The fire, exactly. Can you tell me more about that?” he interrupted, fully knowing that his eyes probably seemed too intrigued. The smaller couldn’t control it though, not when the truth seemed closer than ever, which did not ultimately mean that he would be okay with it.

“ Well, I can only tell you what the pack told me, Chanyeol refuses to talk about it. Most of the omegas keep a distance from him, because he made it more than obvious that he won’t mate with any of them. A few admitted that they planned to set your hut on fire and he had almost attacked them, his father held him back. He is probably also the only reason why he still stays, he had planned to leave a long time ago, in case something may happen. Guess this was just his luck.”   


Nodding absentmindedly along while Sehun was speaking, he could see his hands move in front of his face and he also saw the furrowed eyebrows, but nothing seemed to be able to pull him out of his rigidity. Now that he had heard it from two people, he slowly started to think that his whole life was more or less a lie and that he probably lost the best thing that ever happened to him, because of a severe misunderstanding.

It still didn’t sit well with him, nothing about this but what was he supposed to do?

Baekhyun had to seriously think about the whole situation and his own behaviour and that ultimately made him reach for his own stuff, which was still on the floor, knowing he looked out of it, before tapping Sehun’s shoulder in a brief goodbye. What he needed was fresh air and he found that close by his hut, which was covered in darkness that the night brought along. Maybe that was also the reason he dared to let a tear run down his hot cheeks, because no one would ever know it happened.

There were just so many suppressed memories that started to crush him the more he let the truth occupy his soul. Memories that included Chanyeol, sweet and warm ones that set his heart on fire and it hurt. This pressure on his chest was like a burning flame and he could not stop the regret from seeping into his veins, knowing he had created this distance that obviously was between them.


	9. Chapter Eight

“ Listen, we trained for today and we will make sure to come home with at least a few new hints that will help us. I will put you into teams of two, just like we practised.”

Tightening his bow while listening to Junmyeon ramble, Baekhyun zoned out of it for the most because he knew the procedure and he knew what their plan was. And yet, while pressing his combat boots into the dirt, he did not expect Chanyeol to suddenly stand in front of him, his dorky grin leaving the smaller momentarily distracted.

“ What.”

“ Junmyeon put us two into a team, I guess we are partners now.”   


That made his eyebrows twitch.

He knew that their leader never had ill intentions when it came to him, but this was quite offensive, especially because he knew about Baekhyun’s past. On the other hand, he understood it to some extent, because they had to get along sooner than later. The thing that kept him from diving completely into this was the haunting truth of what had happened.

" Just my luck. Anyways, if you have everything you need, I would suggest we immediately leave. Our target is not that close by after all."

-

Walking through the forest, Chanyeol made sure to keep his distance from the other even if he wanted to be beside him. He understood it though and he knew how to respect boundaries. 

The situation was not fit for a deep talk anyways, but he still felt like Baekhyun changed just the slightest bit. There wasn't the same air of protectiveness around him, not the shielding he had gotten used to and that was most probably also the reason why he decided to act more confident. Taking two long strides to be able to walk beside him, Chanyeol saw the eye rolling and he kind of liked it.

“ Why are you running ahead? I will get lost if I take my eyes off of you for a mere second.”   


“ You’re too slow, and also, don’t take your eyes off of me then?”

Oh if only he knew that the taller never even thought about not looking at him. How would that have been possible when the omega still looked as beautiful as the first day they had met. No amount of scars would ever be able to hide that from him. That thought irritated him though, because now that he knew what had happened to Baekhyun all those years ago, his anger was as fresh as ever. He survived, but did his soul also?

Chanyeol had always been able to sense the other’s emotions, or at least when he felt good and when he didn’t, right now the thing he could feel was nervousness and that confused him. Was it because of himself?

“ You know I am only walking a bit slower to keep a distance between us. I don’t want to have a foot against my throat again.”   


And there it was, an actual chuckle resonating within the deep dark forest. It made the alpha blink his eyes a few times, because he honestly thought he had imagined it, but that wasn’t the case, not when Baekhyun obviously cleared his throat and got back to staring ahead. Some part of that sound awoke an old memory inside his head, one that made his heart feel warm and full, but he had to focus on their task at hand once more when they heard noises close by, sounding like two men talking.

“ Get down,” Baekhyun whispered and immediately crawled on the dirt towards the closest tree. Junmyeon had told them that one of their scouts had found a location where alphas frequently met up and this was it. Sure, it did not ultimately mean that it had something to do with the omega trafficking, but better be safe than regret.

Watching Chanyeol kneel down right beside him, he was much bigger and their close proximity made the smaller actually more nervous than he already was, because nothing about this made sense. Why did he think about their past every time he looked into those big brown orbs? It truly haunted him and he tried his best to focus on the task at hand.

“ Can you understand what they are saying?”

“ No, let’s try to get a bit closer, “ Chanyeol replied and went ahead, leaving Baekhyun to watch his broad back disappear right between the dark oak trees. He was right though and it made the omega follow soon after, holding his bow tightly within his hand.

The spot where they decided to hide was right behind a huge stone, having to squeeze closer in order to fit together. This way they were able to understand what they were saying though and it made the smaller bite his tongue harshly in order to not just jump out.

_ “ So did you get them?” _

_ “ Yeah, two. They are around 20 years old, not the prettiest but they will work. We can ask for at least double the material then we did last time.” _

_ “ Did you drug them?” _

_ “ Do I look like I would forget about that? Of course I did. They are under that blanket there.” _

Seeing his hand point at a spot close by, Baekhyun tried to control the anger within his bones but he simply couldn’t and that is why he got up and aimed his bow at one of them, not listening to Chanyeol before he shot it right into his leg. The loud scream he heard was satisfying but it got dangerous when the other alpha shifted into his wolf form, being way stronger than the smaller omega.

“ Fucking hell, Baekhyun. That was too rushed, stay back.”   


“ Don’t tell me what to do,” he snarled and he knew it was stupid and arrogant, the moment he ran first and slid over the dirt, aiming another arrow at the wolf that ran closer. It quite literally bounced off of his black fur and it made him highly aware that he was not the superior one right now. Closing his eyes and getting ready for the impact, it didn’t happen and that worried him.

Rightly at that.

Chanyeol had shifted as well and had jumped onto the other wolf with his long sharp teeth boring into the side of his neck and for a whole second, Baekhyun got distracted by his beauty. He always had been a big ethereal being, but he had changed and was now much more than that. Nevertheless he knew he had no time to waste and rushed forward to the other alpha, to press the arrow deeper into his flesh, making sure he wasn’t able to run away.

“ Who is your leader? Tell me.”

“ Why should I? You smell like a recessive bitch, you’re not worthy of my time.”   


“ Is that so?” Baekhyun said and pierced it further through his leg until he scratched along his bone, literally bathing in the way he tried to squirm away from the pain, “ That recessive bitch seems to have the upper hand right now. If you don’t want to die, immediately, tell me who the head of your organisation is.”

What interrupted them was a loud groan of pure pain and it distracted the smaller, because he realized it was Chanyeol. Whipping his head around, he saw the alpha laying in the dirt with the other wolf hovering above him, his large fangs covered in blood and it was then that Baekhyun saw that he had bitten the taller into his neck as well. 

He didn’t know where it was coming from, but there was immense worry that creeped to the surface and it was enough to lose focus and be kicked in the stomach by the alpha underneath him. It left him to tumble back and cough, the hit hurting so much that he wasn’t able to shake off the other who now climbed on top of him, with his hands wrapping around Baekhyun’s throat, steadily adding pressure.

“ Now you are not so bold, huh? Maybe I should just ship you away with the other two. Feistiness is a good selling point.”   


“ F-Fuck you,” the smaller chocked out and tried his best to shake the alpha off of him, but no matter how hard he kicked upwards, the restriction of air was making him dizzy and he knew it was getting dangerous the more time passed by. Moving his shaking hands up he scratched them along the man’s face, just trying everything to get rid of him but it got worse when the blackness found its way within his eyes, clouding his senses.

For a mere second he thought he would die like this, in the middle of the forest, but then there was a dash of air and suddenly he was able to breath again. Gasping and turning around on all fours, he coughed loudly, seeing blood drip onto the dirt beneath him, before looking beside him, witnessing Chanyeol breaking the other alpha’s neck. 

It was quiet, only their breathing was what they both heard and that was when Baekhyun saw that both of the men were dead. This wasn’t their initial goal, but he knew Chanyeol did it to protect him and how would he have been able to be angry at him for this? No, he was honest to God, touched and this time he did not hide it.

Especially not when the taller shifted back and there was a huge wound gaping along his neck to his shoulder. It was bleeding, but not enough to harm him further and yet it made the omega get up on stumbly legs, not caring that the other was naked before sliding his hand across the flesh that was burning up.

“ You’re hurt.”   


“ You don’t look any better, your throat is already swelling up,” Chanyeol replied but held himself back from reaching out as well. If this was a weak moment of the other, he would not take advantage of that. Instead he got dressed again, knowing the blood was soaking through the material, before turning around to the blanket further away from them.

“ I...I’m sorry that I killed both. It wasn’t the plan, but they-”

“ Thank you,” Baekhyun interrupted and for the first time in forever he showed a honest and gentle smile. His words excused the taller’s actions and there was nothing more to discuss, before walking over to the two omegas who were burning up with a fever. It was obvious that they were induced with heat herbals, worsening their symptoms and even if their scent wasn’t strong, it still affected Chanyeol.

“ Do you think you will be able to carry one of them back to our territory? I will take care of the other one…”

“ I will try.”

-

Waking up with a gasp, Baekhyun sat up and felt the sweat run down his forehead, the pain around his throat more evident now. The sun was rising outside and it wasn’t as dark as he had imagined but it still made him wonder just how long he had slept.

Remembering how they had gotten back to the territory was chaotic, because there had been a lot of blood, loud voices and a whispered thank you that still resonated within his ears. The omegas they had rescued were from a pack close by and the smaller had been more than glad to know that they were safe now, but the thing that really bothered his mind was the fact that Chanyeol had fainted.

It wasn’t that surprising due to the amount of blood he had lost, but it was worrying and he couldn’t hide that he was affected. Not this time. First there had been the instance of getting to know that what he had thought was the truth, was a lie and now the taller had protected him once more. Even if he did not like that his heart ached just thinking about it, he also did not want it to stop.

Once dressed, he avoided the mirror in his bathroom, just like he always did wondering if he could even remember what he had looked like once. It was pathetic, but ever since he had suffered from those scars that decorated his skin, he did not want to look at himself ever again. Right now it would have been necessary, because of the swelling around his throat, but he knew Junmyeon would look at it sooner or later so he had enough time to focus on more important things.

Realising that his feet carried him faster than his brain could process, he leaned against the door of the hut where the alphas slept in and gently knocked, only to be greeted by a very tired Sehun.

“ Good morning, I…”

“ He just woke up, come inside.”   
  
Grateful that he immediately understood what the smaller wanted to say, Baekhyun crossed his arms over his chest and constantly rubbed his elbows in order to calm down, before he stood in front of Chanyeol’s bed, seeing the thick bandage around his neck and shoulder. His chest was exposed and the smaller could see the skin turning purple and green just slightly and it made him internly cringe, hating that someone he knew was in so much pain.

“ Hi…”   
  
“ Baekhyun? Hello, I did not expect to see you so soon.”

Eyeing Sehun who was standing behind him, he sighed in relief when he left them alone and closed the door, giving the omega the space he needed. Nothing about this situation was easy but he appreciated less people, because that was one less thing to worry about. Sitting down beside the other’s bed, he crossed his legs and momentarily looked down at his own lap, before he had enough confidence to stare at the other.

“ How are you feeling? Junmyeon took good care of your wound, it seems.”   


“ I felt better, but it is mostly numb,” Chanyeol answered while touching the bandage and rubbing over it to prove it. What his gentle eyes found though, were the dark purple hand prints around Baekhyun’s neck and he absolutely hated it, “ What about you? Is breathing a problem?”   


Having to chuckle at his words, the smaller shook his head and properly stared right back into the taller man’s eyes for the first time since they had seen each other again, feeling like the situation was good enough to show that he started to appreciate his presence. Maybe he still wasn’t mentally ready, but a part of his body wanted to know more about those past seven years from the point of view that Chanyeol had and that made him scoot closer to gently tap the other’s shoulder.

“ Say, can you tell me about the day I disappeared? I think I am ready to hear your side of the story.”


	10. Chapter Nine

_ Seven years ago.  _

_ Chanyeol’s point of view. _

Slicking back his black hair, the taller man looked at his reflection in the mirror, seeing how his nerves were literally on fire, because his face was flaming red. He had every right to feel nervous though, because today was the day he officially wanted to ask Baekhyun to mate with him.

They were best friends, but he knew there was more between them and he was ready to face it together with the smaller, even if it would end up platonic. Knowing that the pack would hate him even more for this and especially his father, he swallowed the fear down and instead walked out of his hut, seeing all the other alphas and omegas already getting ready for the fest.

Inside his pocket there was a small pendant he wanted to give Baekhyun and that was the one thing that helped him keep his sanity, while walking towards the big meeting area. They had planned a bonfire but to his surprise there was little to no wood prepared and the event was only an hour away.

“ Chanyeol-ah! Good thing I found you, we really need a  _ strong _ alpha to carry the chopped wood over here, it’s too much for us,” one of the omegas said, before literally pressing against the taller’s arm, obviously wanting his attention. They were all like this and he despised their behaviour. However, he was a nice person and that is why he nodded his head and asked for the direction, ending up standing in the middle of the forest.

It was further away from their territory and he didn’t lie, because there was tons of firewood. Nevertheless, he was alone so it would still take some time to carry everything and he hated knowing that Baekhyun would probably end up waiting for him.

Twenty minutes in, he had carried most of the stuff back to the main area when he suddenly heard loud screaming. It wasn’t far away and it confused him immensely. But then, he saw the smoke wandering up into the clear blue sky and he could literally feel his heart stop for a whole second.

It was coming from a very specific direction and the only thing occupying his head in that moment was  _ Baekhyun. _ Dropping the few pieces he was still holding, he rushed through the people that were surrounding the huge fire, pushing his way through only to stop at the house that was burning like crazy.

The flames were aggressively waving from side to side and none, literally none of the others were doing anything to help. It wasn’t surprising but it then settled in that they all were undeserving of something good happening to them. Knowing it would have been useless to just run forward, he stepped a bit closer and tried to see through the window, noticing that it was already broken.

“ Baekhyun!!”

“ Baekhyun-ah!”

No reply.

Feeling the cold shivers run down his back, Chanyeol tried not to panic and instead grabbed the first two alphas in sight to drag them over to the lake close by, ordering them to grab buckets and kill the fire. It was a slow process but it was all he could do, before it died down enough for him to kick in the door. The interior was burning as well but there was no body and it worried him immensely.

For how long had this fire already been going on? 

Seeing how his hands were shaking, he tried his best to stay calm even if he was about to hyperventilate and that was when he saw a stone laying close by the window. There were blood splatters all over the floor and he noticed his breathing picking up in speed. Whipping his head around he coughed when the flames intruded his lungs but he still walked closer to the bedroom, when suddenly the roof collapsed, keeping him from entering it and setting his nerves on fire.

A thousand things were rushing through his head and not one of them was positive. Baekhyun had to be in that room, he had to and there was no way he would have survived this. Listening to his own thoughts, he knew there were tears running down his cheeks and where rationality had been before, there was nothing more than pure devastation now while he tried to move the heavy wood to the side, ripping the skin on his fingers and hands.

It wasn’t until he felt arms holding him and dragging him back out, that he got back to his senses and instead of thanking them, something inside his body flipped and made him push both the alphas off. There were a few people surrounding them and it took all his willpower to go back into the hut to pick up the stone, before ordering everyone to the main place.

The silence was deafening and none of them seemed as affected as he was, only spurring on his anger while he held up the blood stained stone, eyeing all of them.

“ This wasn’t an accident, I know you all hate him, but going as far as this? Are you all insane??” He growled, suppressing his grief with anger, so much deep rooted anger. There wasn’t even time to properly think about what actually had happened and that he most probably just lost the person he loved the most, not when they all didn’t look guilty nor affected.

“ You killed him. You killed Baekhyun.”

It was the last thing he said before throwing the stone against the closest hut right beside him, not caring about their gasps or fake worry. He could feel everything consume him within seconds and all he wanted was to be alone, letting the truth sink in.


	11. Chapter Ten

Ever since that day Baekhyun had been unable to process the new information. Knowing Chanyeol’s side of the story made sense and he still remembered the taller holding the stone but nothing else. Of course the only logical answer had been that he had planned the fire as well, but now that he thought about it again, it wasn’t that much evidence. His feelings had chosen what to believe and now he was just left confused.

Nowadays this was an uncommon feeling and he honestly disliked himself worrying so much. It was as if he had been thrown back to his past, when he and Chanyeol had been so close and he could not avoid thinking that it would have been nice to go back to those days. Even if it would have been only for a little while.

A week had passed by in which he had witnessed the taller going back to good health, with his shoulder healing quite well, and he honestly was relieved. There was unresolved tension between them, especially because Baekhyun did not want to open up, but it also felt like the distance had shrunk and that alone was a step into the right direction.

Sure they would never be like they had been back then, but the omega knew there had always been such strong feelings for the other and he had never gotten rid of them completely. Due to him deciding to give their friendship another chance, it also had opened up a part he had hidden and he no longer was sure if he wanted to continue hiding it.

Now sitting at the breakfast table with half of a slice of bread within his hand, he zoned out involuntarily, because his eyes had focused on the taller alpha sitting right across him. Chanyeol was only wearing a tank top due to the heavy bandages and all Baekhyun saw was his bronze colored skin. He truly had grown up those last seven years, but it did not take away that almost childlike spark within his eyes.

Absent-mindedly biting into his bread, he suddenly was met with an equally as intense stare and it took him a whole moment to realize that the other had caught him staring, grinning so gently that it threatened to make his cheeks flush. Clearing his throat and reaching for his water, he emptied the glass and stood up to leave, knowing it was already embarrassing enough for having been seen.

He passed by Kyungsoo and Jongin, two people he did not talk to in weeks and he still wasn’t ready for it, the sadness of having been betrayed far bigger than any ounce of forgiveness. Nowadays he actually did not know where to turn to, feeling foreign at his own home and the only place that was able to offer him some comfort was the forest close by.

Sitting down on the tree stump he used for training, the smaller tightened his bow and cleaned it from any dirt that may have landed on it, bathing in the silence that freed the endless pressure on his head. For the last seven years all he had thought about and trained for was revenge, to at least see guilt within Chanyeol’s eyes, but who would have thought that it was a scream into darkness, a one way trip with no return.

It was hard to process but the more time he spent with the truth engulfing him, the more he realized that he had been wrong and he so strongly wanted to stop feeling those negative emotions. Sure the taller hadn’t been involved and he had always truly cared about him, but his former pack still tried to kill him and that was a really sad thought.

“ Hey.”   


Jolting up from where he was seated, Baekhyun whipped his head towards the source of the voice, only to see Chanyeol leaning against a tree, his arms crossed over his chest. There was worry in his eyes, his lips in a tight smile before he relaxed them again, “ You didn’t hear me coming? Are you okay?”

“ Okay is a state I wasn’t in for years now, if I’m being honest.”

Honestly speaking, it felt like he momentarily slipped back into his old self, the one that felt comfortable around the alpha and turned to him whenever he was worried. It just would have been so much easier to go back to those days and maybe that is why he decided to open up like this, knowing they weren’t anything like back then.

“ Do you want to talk about it? I mean...I do think that I already know what bothers you, but still…”

“ Did you ever train with a bow, Chanyeol? Should I teach you?” Baekhyun said and successfully switched the topic, trying to get rid of those dreading memories that caused an immense headache.

Standing up and waiting for the black haired man to follow, he gave him his own bow and watched him hold it up, his stance not as bad as he had at first thought it would be like. Nevertheless, he was more than professional while moving Chanyeol’s hands a bit further down the bow and helped him to position his legs properly, the target being a half bitten apple of the smaller right in front of them.

“ Am I doing this right?”   


“ Yeah, but you are still a bit too stiff. Try to relax your shoulders and push your cheek closer to the arrow. Let go whenever you think you are ready.”   


Stepping aside and waiting for Chanyeol to be ready, several seconds passed by and when he finally let go, there was a brief wave of fresh air and a loud squelching noise when the arrow bored right into the middle of the apple. It left him astounded to say the least and he definitely could not suppress the small smile.

“ Wow. That was actually really good.”   
  
“ Thanks, but I guess that was beginner’s luck? You are way more talented,” Chanyeol praised and handed the bow back over to the omega, before he scratched the back of his head. There was still this uncomfortable tension between them, suffocating almost. It was no longer drenched in hatred but instead now emitted nervousness and fear and to be honest, was that really that much better?

There it was again, silence, but this time it was much more comforting and Baekhyun noticed the eyes on him. Actually, the alpha tended to stare a lot and he did wonder if it was because he did not look anything like in the old days. Did the scars disfigure him? And why was he worrying about that in the first place?

“ What. Say what you want to say, it is quite obvious.”   


“ I-...I don’t know if you are comfortable enough with me, but I wanted to ask you about your scars again.”   
  
“ They are ugly, aren’t they?” Baekhyun chuckled dryly, before he picked up the arrow and put it back in the small container. It was funny how he had worried about this exact situation and now it was happening for real. And yet, the shake of a head was the least he expected.   
  
“ Not at all. I think they are really pretty. I mean, you’ve always been, uh, you know...What I mean is that they don’t change a thing...Yeah..”

Actually turning red at his reply, Baekhyun showed Chanyeol his back, not wanting him to see his face, because that was unexpected. First off hearing this and then the fact that he believed him. Not once had he looked into a mirror ever since he had healed from the deep cuts, but hearing that he actually did not change much, mustered up his courage immensely.

“ Those on my face are from the shattered glass of the window. I stood in front of it, because I tried to get out, but then the stone flew through it. The cuts were deep, but Junmyeon did his best to speed up the healing process. They won’t leave and they still burn sometimes, but I learned to accept that I am no longer the same person,” he started to explain, having sat down on the tree stump again. Chanyeol was leaning against the tree right across from him and listened attentively, almost as if he truly cared.

“ I have burn marks on my chest, only a few but the fire did hit me when I was losing consciousness. Those hurt terribly and they still do, but there is nothing I can do to make them go away.”   
  
Heaving a big sigh in order to not get lost in depressing thoughts, he stood up and cleaned the invisible dust off of his pants, avoiding the taller’s eyes. It was way too easy to open up about himself when he was together with his old friend and that scared him so much.

“ Anyways, I have to go collect some firewood. If you want you can tag along.”   


“ Baekhyun-ah. I’m sorry that you went through this, sincerely honestly sorry. I wish I would have been there for you, would have questioned the whole situation more, but I was just so...so sad.”

It hurt. Seeing how Chanyeol was the epitome of sadness really hurt and he did not want to see him like this. Yes, there was a lot of weird air around them and yes, seven years without each other wasn’t something they could forget within a second, but they could work on it, slowly.

“ Let’s not talk about this, okay? There have been wrongs on both our sides and it won’t be resolved in an instant. The only thing we can do is try and understand the others' view, but for now, chop some wood with me.”   


-

It had been such a calm day, actually a lot of fun to cut wood with Baekhyun and yet when there were sudden screams and the smaller was nowhere in sight, his past caught up to him. Chanyeol didn’t even know what was happening but all he could think about was the smaller omega. This whole situation was a repetition of their past even though he had no clue on what was going on and before he knew it he had run out of his hut and towards the commotion.

There he was, the silver haired boy, staring at the gates of their territory and even if he still did not know what was happening, there was relief settling in his bones and it led him over to the smaller, gently touching his shoulder.

“ What happened??”

“ There, look.”   


Moving his eyes towards where Sehun and Junmyeon were kneeling, he only now realized there was a wolf in between them, small and severely burned. It was grotesque and brutal and it made the anger bile up on his tongue. He also saw Baekhyun slightly shaking though and that made him step a bit closer, offering the warmth of his body without even touching him and he smiled when the smaller relaxed.

A few more seconds passed by, before Junmyeon walked closer once more, hands stained in blood, eyes soulless,” It is a warning. They burned a sentence into his flesh ‘  _ this is your last chance to stop, if not, more will follow _ ’. There was some rest of a scent which we were able to trace up the hill, the only real hint we have at this point. Either we risk it or hide here.”   


It was clear that none of them wanted to hide, not when a brother got killed inhumanly and Baekhyun was one of the first that stepped forward and shook his head, his hands in tight fists to cover that he was shaking like a leaf. From anger or fear, he did not know himself.

“ I’m in. This has to stop.”

  
  



	12. Chapter Eleven

Everything was easier said than done, because even if almost all of them wanted to go and hunt them down, they could not simply leave their territory unprotected. So after a lot of heavy discussion they came to the conclusion to form groups. Two to be exact.

The first one consisted of Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Junmyeon and Sehun as well as three other omegas that were good in sword art. The ones to go take this trip and try to find the head of the organization. 

The group staying behind was led by Kyungsoo and Jongin, simply because their leader did not need bad blood between two of his best fighters. Not when everything was on the plate.

So knowing that Chanyeol was tagging along, the smaller had this familiar tingle in his hands again but by now he knew it was not nervousness. It could be compared to excitement and he had always felt like that back in the old days, whenever they were together. After all, the black haired male had been his first and only love. 

Now he had absolutely no clue how to handle those feelings and of course he was scared. Trusting others had been ruined two times and he wasn't really keen on trying it a third time, but what he could not shake off was that he liked being around the other and he started to dive into that again. 

" How's your shoulder?"

Standing on the edge of the cliff, right above their territory, Baekhyun nudged Chanyeol’s arm to get his attention, while Junmyeon was searching for more hints down the path. It was quiet up here, only the casual fresh air and the clear blue sky watching them.

" Almost completely healed. The stitches will be pulled once we are back. It still hurts a little, but it's okay," the taller replied and looked down at the omega, momentarily distracted by his hair glistening in the sun. Back then it had been black, now that it was silver it made his golden eyes shine even more intensely and it was intriguing, " Say, did you color your hair?"

" I wish. Actually, after everything went down I was severely traumatized, making it hard for me to be able to live properly. My hair turned white from the stress, and Kyungsoo helped me color it completely at one point. It is not your fault though, don't even think about it. I can see it on your face," Baekhyun chuckled and briefly looked up to meet his eyes, not sure why he was so comfortable about telling him those things.

With a sudden burst of air, his hair was tossed and it made him breath through his lips, trying to move his bangs away from his forehead once more. Unexpectedly, Chanyeol reached out and gently brushed it behind his ear again and while this had been normal back then, it was now  _ unfamiliar  _ and they both realized that only a second later, making them jump apart.

"I'm sorry...I…"

" Guys! Let's go."

Hearing Junmyeon’s voice, it felt like a blessing and they quite literally ran back to the others with both of them feeling completely different things but one thing was the same and that was craving. They weren't sure for what, but it felt like when they had hung out together almost every day seven years ago. As if they couldn't breathe different air without each other.

-

The night caught up to them when they reached half of their daily goal, in the middle of a forest. Listening to the rustling of the trees was comforting and they had brought a tent to sleep in as well, only one but better than nothing. 

For now they sat around a small fire they lit, big enough to keep them warm but not too big to gather attention and it made Baekhyun sleepy. Sure, they went on missions a lot ever since he joined the pack, but due to their size and stamina, recessive omegas overall got tired way quicker. 

And it started to be obvious the more he wrapped his long black coat around himself. Swaying a little from side to side, he felt a hand on his shoulder and it made him look up to see Chanyeol staring at him intensely, while Junmyeon and Sehun were eating the rest of the bunny they caught, in the background.

" Go to bed. It's okay, we will keep an eye on our surroundings and I will wake you up when it's your turn."

That sounded like heaven and he did not find it in him to disagree, instead nodding his head and standing up to walk over to the tent. It was a bit further away from their seated area and it was so quiet and calm that he just instantly fell down onto the blanket he had packed and dozed off.

It wasn't unusual for him to have his weaknesses, especially close to his heat and he noticed that it was approaching again. Nothing big or serious, due to being recessive but still uncomfortable. 

Groaning briefly, he stirred awake when he could hear a branch breaking outside and his brain absentmindedly thought about a certain tall nice alpha.

" Chanyeol?"

Nothing. It was dead quiet all of a sudden and it then sunk in that something was terribly wrong. Reaching for his bow he was almost out of the tent, when it was ripped right behind him and someone dragged him out, pressing a cloth against his mouth harshly. He fought back, of course, kicked and scratched as hard as he could, but it did not stop the darkness to take over.

It felt weird, this constant voice inside of his head, telling him to wake up but he just did not find it in himself to do exactly that. Baekhyun’s body felt numb and then there was pain, a harsh one right across his chest making him force himself to rip out of his trance-like state.

What greeted him was a dark place and him being tied to a chair. That explained the pain, because the rope was cutting into the skin of his upper body, so tight that breathing hurt as well. He did not know how much time had passed, nor did he know where he was and for the first time in forever, he was scared.

Moving his fingers to see if he would be able to undo the knots himself, he groaned due to the pounding headache and then there was light. Literally. A weak little flame that came closer and brought two tall alphas along. Those that had abducted him in the first place, only that they looked even scarier than before.

" W-Who-"

" Are you sure that's him?" One of them said and interrupted the smaller, before turning to his partner.

" More than sure. Hanwoo will join us soon, he knows it best."

Confused and slightly out of breath, Baekhyun turned his head to the side when another man joined, one that was way bigger and more intimidating. In one swift movement he had grabbed the smaller’s face, harshly pressing his fingers into the tender flesh of his cheeks and forcing him to look up.

" Hi there, little bitch. It's him, great job boys."

" Should I know you?" Baekhyun spit out and did not let go of their eye contact because, yes this was terrifying, but it did not crash his strong soul. What hurt was, when the alpha yanked his head up further, putting pressure on his neck muscles even more.

" Nah, but you will soon enough. Remember those two alphas you killed? I was the third one, out on a stroll. I came back when you left. Not very smart of you to go out without a mask. It was so easy to recognize your face, those ugly scars are one of a kind," he retorted and then finally let go of the omega's face, instead walking around the chair in agonizingly slow circles.

His words did hit a certain spot within Baekhyun’s body, especially because he had been as dumb as to forget his mask, but it did not explain what was going on right now.

" So? It's not like you guys are innocent. Why am I here? Do you want to kill me now as well?"

The silence that met him was way too long, and that led to him focusing on what the other man was doing, seeing how he seemed to unpack something small, almost like a glass container. Suddenly the two others walked closer to the entrance and guarded it and before Baekhyun knew it, his face was within the hold of the alpha once more.

" Sweetheart, we don't kill omegas like you, we have our fun with them and then sell them off. But I'm sure you know about that, don't you?"

Shivers were running over his skin heavily and now he really was scared. His legs were still weak from the earlier incident and his hands were still tied, even if he tried to slowly break free, so there was no way in hell he could have stopped the other from pressing the small container under his nose, forcing him to smell it.

" Heat inducer, you will feel it soon."

Oh and he did. It felt like a strong wave of warmth that shot right through his heart and spread from there, all over his body. The sweat pooled around his forehead down his neck within seconds and then there was pain. No heat of his ever went by without problems, simply because he was different, this right now was hell.

But he could also feel arousal, one that usually was barely there and it made him uncomfortable. Gasping for air, he hung his head back in order to see where the other man was going, until he felt him undo the rope. Understandable, because his body was going slack within seconds.

" Fu-Fuck you…"

"Cute. I will do exactly that, don't worry."

It annoyed and frustrated him to feel so useless, especially when the tall man walked back in front of him, one of his hands moving Baekhyun’s head to the side in order to press his nose against this neck and it felt disgusting. Never before did he let anyone touch him like this, but in that same second he remembered that that wasn't true at all.

There had been one person, only one and suddenly he was what occupied his head.

_ Chanyeol, Chanyeol, Chanyeol. _

Like a strong magnetic force that pulled him towards the alpha, one which he had felt several times before this event. Back all those years ago and every time he met his eyes. It made no sense, but his inner omega was way stronger due to the inducing heat and that explained the overwhelming situation. 

" Don't touch me…"

" What will you do? You're too weak anyways."

Just his scent and hands made him want to vomit, everything about the male was screaming, disgusting, and it made Baekhyun close his eyes, arms slowly regaining power. But then there was a hand, one that touched his thigh and something about that set him on fire.

A small memory rushed through his head, where Chanyeol had patted his thigh after they had eaten dinner, so reassuring and soft that this right now felt like he was being ripped apart and no, he did not want to bath in it any longer.

It was almost like a surge of adrenaline when he moved forward and bit into the alpha’s ear, ripping the skin off and successfully removing him from his body. Suddenly he stood on his own two legs and he did not think much before running for his bow and shooting two arrows at the other guys, just wounding them in order to be able to run away.

His body was burning up and his weak pheromones were all over the place, leaving his head so dizzy and craving for only one thing, one person. At this point no rational thought was going through his mind and he just ran and ran, tasting the blood along his trembling lips. The forest seemed endless and he sincerely hoped he would be able to go far enough, until there were voices. 

It was familiar to some extent but he also could not trust his head, which left him to hide behind a tree, momentarily pausing and calming down, while listening to the others getting closer.

_ " It's been four days, he has to be somewhere around here…" _

_ " Chanyeol-ah, what if-" _

_ " No. Stop whatever you wanted to say. I don't want to hear it." _

Chanyeol?

In that moment, his inner omega literally screamed for the tall male, craved his touches and protection and Baekhyun gave in. He simply gave in, because he was tired, drained and scared. Stumbling away from the tree and towards the three men, he saw them halt and then he fell to the ground, hands gripping the soil underneath his fingers. 

" Baekhyun???"

There it was again, that voice. Looking up and finally staring into those brown orbs, he crawled closer and hugged Chanyeol’s leg with the last strength his body could muster, head lolling back, the harsher the pain in his abdomen got, that was when one single word slipped from his mouth, one that was more of a whisper than anything else and it was followed by him passing out.

" Mate…"


	13. Chapter Twelve

The heat was ripping him apart. It felt like a thousand needles piercing through his skin over and over again, while he was actually feeling cold, his body shaking like a leaf. Since that day where he had luckily ran into the other’s, he had been out like a light.

Junmyeon had tried to give him medicine to help against the inducer he was forced to smell, but it did little to nothing, because Baekhyun’s body had reacted badly. Usually his heat would last two days, sometimes three, now it crossed the fourth and it did not look good. Due to the fever that came over him he sporadically woke up to drink water, his head not awake enough to keep his eyes open for longer than a second and Chanyeol worried.

He worried so damn much that he did not sleep at all. When they had picked the smaller omega up, he felt so light and lifeless while his body was burning and the alpha held him as close to his chest as possible, protecting him from whatever wanted to get in their way. 

Yes, Baekhyun’s weak pheromones affected him, but that did not stop him from sitting at his bed every day, head within his hands while he tried not to fall asleep. He knew there was not much they could do, which is why he made sure to change the cold cloth that was laying on the other's forehead, every half an hour to at least lessen the pain.

It angered him to know that someone had touched Baekhyun in a way he probably did not want, hurt him and made him feel scared. A sight that had been rare these days and Chanyeol would have wished for it to stay that way. Nevertheless, what's done has been done and he tried his best to keep his own emotions in check.

Watching Junmyeon join them, he offered him a weak smile before giving him the space he needed to check on the omega. Seeing how badly he was shaking, the black haired male bit his own lips harshly to compensate for the pain he was feeling within his chest, eyes never leaving the body of the other.

" He's doing a little bit better, his fever though...it's still too high."

" What is there to do? Can we ease it?" He asked and scooted closer, one of his shaky hands reaching out to touch Baekhyun’s forehead, only to wince when it indeed was hot. The sweat was contouring his neck and face, shining slightly in the dim light and he looked ethereal. He always did and Chanyeol knew he was a goner for the smaller.

" No, the cloth helps but the medicine is too hard to swallow for him, his throat is swollen from the fever."

Nodding his head absentmindedly, he retreated his hand again and was forced to stop midway, when there were two fingers holding the seam of his long sleeved shirt. It made his heart beat wildly and he knew Junmyeon was still watching, which is why he tried to keep his cool.

" Chanyeol-ah...please don't stop, I'm so cold…" Baekhyun whispered weakly, eyes not completely open, but he looked at the tall man. The fever was terrifying, but what scared him more was his old friend leaving him alone. Again. Crazy, right? Especially after everything that had happened.

Now though, he craved his presence, touch and comfort and he knew he would cry if he left now.

" A-Are you sure?"

" Hmm."

" Okay, I will leave you two alone. Call me if anything happens," Junmyeon said and packed his stuff, a small smile playing on his lips before he closed the door. It was suddenly so quiet, except the heavy breathing of the smaller, indicating he was feeling bad and it made Chanyeol frown, daring to lay his hand back on his forehead.

" You're cold? Do you want me to get you another blanket to keep you warm?"

Watching the smaller shake his head weakly, the black haired man noticed that his hand was still pulling on his shirt, his slender fingers grabbing the material tightly. And he knew Baekhyun wanted to say something, he could see it in his tired, red eyes, " What is it, hm? You can tell me, we are alone."

"I-," the omega started, voice croaked and tired, before he bit his petal shaped lips. He did not want to seem weak, like he gave in or as if he was no longer the same tough guy he turned out to be, but Chanyeol sat right in front of him, looking exactly like he did seven years ago and his heart was yearning for him so much.

Maybe it was the fever that made him this emotional, the thing that surprised him was that he did not care. He sincerely wanted to be touched and know that he is safe and that ultimately made him pull on the taller's shirt a bit harder.

" Lay down with me...please. You're so warm."

To say Chanyeol was surprised was an understatement and he knew he was red in the face, if not close to exploding. The funniest thing though, was that he did not wait long before crawling beside him into bed, carefully pulling Baekhyun against his chest and making sure he was still wrapped into the fur blanket.

He did not know where to put his hands at first, but the omega helped him out, by gently moving one to the back of his head, silently asking for scratches while the other was placed on his back, keeping him in place. The warmth of an alpha was no joke and it was ridiculously comfortable when Chanyeol’s spread onto his own body, making Baekhyun sigh in content.

" Is this good?"

No reply followed and the taller quickly realized that Baekhyun fell asleep, snoozing right against his chest. From this angle he could see the scars across his face, not deep but life changing and before he knew it, his thumb was following the lines, carefully stroking over them. He did not lie when he said it did not change a thing, because right in that moment, when it was completely quiet, the omega looked just like he did when they were still together. Innocent, vulnerable and soft.

Chanyeol had liked him back then, but he adored him now. Seeing what a man had become of his friend was touching and scary, but simultaneously beautiful and it took not away from the feelings that never left. To the alpha, Baekhyun had always been the most gorgeous being he had ever seen and no amount of scars would ever change that. Not when his heart was beating as crazy as it did right now.

Daring to lean forward, he pressed a small tender kiss against the omega’s forehead and then closed his eyes as well, knowing staying awake would only drive him insane and he was glad when sleep found him.

-

Something felt terribly uncomfortable against Baekhyun’s cheek and that was probably also the thing that woke him up from his deep slumber. The sweat against his skin was dried and disgusting, to say the least, while his head was still pounding, but it all seemed unimportant when he realized just why his face was as squished as it was.

Chanyeol’s chest was right in front of him, moving with steady breaths and one of his arms was wrapped around the smaller's waist. It was then that he noticed that the other arm was under his head and he suddenly did not know how to act.

There were broken bits inside his head that did not make sense, but he remembered those alphas, the terrifying feeling within his body and the other's warmth. Right, he asked him to sleep with him. Feeling the blush creep up his cheeks, the omega sat up slowly and rubbed his face, trying to get rid of the speed at which his heart was pounding, but to no avail.

Not when the brief stroke of the tall man’s finger, against his hip, felt so nice. It was terribly comforting and he actually did not want to get up. Sleeping was impossible as well though and so he ended up not moving at all, too scared he would wake the other man up.

What he could not predict was the sneeze that tickled up his nose, making him flinch when it got freed and then it was too late to back out, because Chanyeol stirred awake as well, equally as awkward while looking up at the smaller.

" Hey...How are you feeling?"

" Thanks to you, I feel good. Just a little headache, " Baekhyun replied and did not move one bit, instead daring to look back down at the other, meeting his caring eyes. How was it possible to be swept away so easily, after only a few weeks? Was it the fact that they had history together? Or was it due to the feelings, which he never let go of?

" That's good to hear, I-...I hope I wasn't a bad sleeping partner, I move a-"

" Not at all. If I'm being honest, you made me feel extremely comfortable," he interrupted, offering a tired but honest smile and it got returned only seconds later, some new kind of air floating between them. And yet, they could not dive further into it, when Junmyeon suddenly barged in, only stopping when he saw that the other two were rather close.

" Oh. What did I miss?"

Hearing the teasing tone, Baekhyun flushed red for the first time in forever and Chanyeol saw that. He saw the beautiful pink blush ghosting over his face making him look so adorable that he could not hold back the small snort. But, he also knew this was probably too much for the smaller and he did not intend to stress him any further, which is why the alpha sat up and got out of bed to stretch, making the omega immediately miss the warmth. 

" Nothing. More importantly, Baekhyun seems to do better."

" I  _ see _ that. Let me measure your temperature and do an overall check up. If you feel comfortable enough, we need to talk about what happened."

-

Comfortable was far fetched. Honestly speaking, Baekhyun still felt like shit with his muscles aching and his head pounding, but Chanyeol’s presence lessened the symptoms. Wrapped in a blanket and sitting on a chair, the small omega leaned against the back of it, eyes half open, lips dry from the fever.

In front of him the alpha was setting up a small fire, with Junmyeon cutting some apples and the silver haired boy was sincerely thankful, because that would be the only thing he would be able to swallow at this point.

Reaching out for the plate, when it was offered, he munched on the cut slices slowly and let the sour taste intrude his mouth, making him grimace briefly and it wouldn't have been that bad, but he saw Chanyeol staring at him with a soft smile and that made him feel like the fever was coming back in a quick wave.

" Baekhyun-ah, are you ready to tell us what you remember?"

" Yeah...um, they took me with them when I was in the tent, but I think that was obvious. I didn't know for how long I was out of it, but when I woke up I was in some sort of big room? Way bigger than any hut I've ever seen and it was dark," he explained and stopped momentarily to eat another slice of the sour apple," they had me tied to a chair and then it happened so fast. First there were two of them, and a third one joined. He was the one who drugged me...and...h-he…"

" He what? What did he do?" Chanyeol interrupted, a cold gaze wandering over his face, but there was also worry and Baekhyun was used to moments like this. He wouldn't have admitted it, but it felt good to be cared for and yet, he was scared of what was to come when he would tell them everything. 

" He felt me up. Only my thigh and neck, but it was enough for me to bite off his ear. That way I was able to run out and then I met you guys. I'm sorry that I don't remember anything about the surroundings…"

Gazing up, the first thing he saw was the alpha clenching his fits tightly on top of his pants, an indication that he was angry and it made Baekhyun’s heart skip a long beat, knowing it was because of him. And then Junmyeon kneeled down in front of him, gently patting his knees and offering a soft smile.

" It's okay, everything is fine. I'm glad we found you, I wouldn't want to imagine what would have happened if we didn't…"

" Baekhyun-ah, do you perhaps remember some names?" The alpha asked, now walking around the room, arms crossed over his muscular chest. He looked tense but also so damn attractive and Baekhyun knew he was getting lost in thoughts, briefly shaking his head to get rid of them.

" One...One name of the man who touched me. Hanwoo. That's what they called him."

" Hanwoo??"

It was a shrill yell and it momentarily hurt in Baekhyun’s ears, but it seemed unimportant when Chanyeol slammed his fist against the wall of the hut, knuckles cracking just slightly. Suddenly there was a much darker aura around the black haired man and the smaller was intimidated by his old friend.

" That fucker. I know him, or better said I knew him. He joined the pack about three year ago and he instantly gave out terribly bad vibes. You see, he treated the omega's like puppets, and he got close to my father. Then he suddenly left over night, no one knew where he went, but that was also when my father started to be less present at the territory…"

" You mean-"

" I don't know," Chanyeol replied to Junmyeon, who was still rubbing over Baekhyun’s knees. They had said that the taller's father was probably the head of the whole organization, but with the new found information now, it seemed much more realistic and the silver haired man could not be angry at his old friend, knowing this was a lot to take in, " I mean, it's possible. How dare he touch you, it makes me sick just thinking about it. I will kill him, the next time I see him I will ki-"

" Chanyeol-ah, " Baekhyun interrupted and carefully stood up to take the other's tense hand into both of his. Not knowing what he actually was doing, he rubbed his thumb over the skin once and it was touching to see that it immediately seemed to calm the alpha down, " It's okay, for now please take a deep breath. We can't do anything anyways at the moment, but I'm thankful that you react like that."

" Of course I would. You're important to me after all."

Silence.

It was as if the room froze up, because not only Junmyeon was staring at the tall man, but Baekhyun as well. The only difference was that the smaller omega was blushing furiously. This was embarrassing, especially in front of their leader, but it also made him so happy that he did not dare to ruin the moment. 

Chanyeol seemed to slowly realize though, that what he said had been out loud and not in his head and the tip of his big ears turned as red as tomatoes.

" I-I mean…"

" Okay! Time for me to leave. Make sure Baekhyun finishes the apples," Junmyeon announced and packed his stuff, closing the door behind him once he was outside. It worsened the tension and the silver haired man, slowly retracted his hand, only for it to be grabbed again. Well, his pinky to be exact.

" Did I make you uncomfortable?"

Looking up, with his eyelashes fluttering briefly, he knew he was biting his lip and he stopped when the taller seemed to follow the movement. No, he definitely wasn't uncomfortable but that was the thing that made him uncomfortable, if that made sense. He enjoyed this so much that he was scared of himself and his own needs, making him shake his head.

" Absolutely not, Chanyeol-ah. I mean, you were always important to me as well…"

" Were?"

Giggling softly when he saw the disappointment in the alpha's eyes, Baekhyun reached for one of the apples and nibbled on it slowly, knowing there was no way out of this conversation now.

" Yes. A lot of time passed, did you forget that already? I'm trying to trust you again, I'm just slower this time."

" Oh...oh okay, well that is understandable. I just thought you meant something different," he awkwardly replied while scratching the back of his neck and he could not hide that he was happy, not when his cheeks were flushing red.

It reminded the omega of when they had laid on that field and kissed for the first time, because it was the exact same expression on his face, but the longer he thought about that, the more he realized that he was moving closer subconsciously, almost like a magnetic force.

" Actually, looking at you now, you did not change that much, Chanyeol. You're still as obvious as ever."

That made the taller gasp offensively, but he couldn't be angry, not when Baekhyun looked so beautiful while smiling, eyes crinkling at the corners. And he instead chose to reach forward and tickle him, bathing in the loud laughter.

" S-Stop! I'm still a wounded patient and you're taking advantage of that!!!"

" You deserve it for making fun of me," he chuckled and stopped when the omega started to be out of breath, knowing to not put a strain on his body, before reaching for the apples and shoving one into the other's mouth, snorting when his eyes were doubling in size.

" Eat up. You need it to grow, dwarf."

" Chanyeol!!!"


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Happiness suited him well, it made his face so much softer and his overall behavior lighter. Baekhyun probably didn't notice it himself, but everyone else did and it was adorable. The usual stoic, cold and rough omega turned into a puddle of softness when Chanyeol was around, literally not letting his eyes wander anywhere else but to the other.

It wasn't desperate, it was craving and ever since that morning on which the smaller woke up in the arms of the other, he realized that no amount of hate he had felt could overshadow how badly he had missed his friend, how much he had wanted to feel alive again. Being driven by the thirst of revenge, it almost felt like those last seven years were for nothing.

Well, almost. He still grew the same hatred within his chest for his old pack, just not for the alpha. Maybe his heat had messed with his head, but he felt way more comfortable around the other and he knew his brothers noticed. To no one did he ever open up like he did with Chanyeol and of course that angered Kyungsoo. 

They still didn't talk and to some extent it was unfair that he was being avoided for falling in love with an alpha, when it didn't seem much different for Baekhyun himself. Their pack had been stressed the last few days, while trying to find any sort of clue that would lead to Hanwoo, which also meant it was hectic.

But Kyungsoo waited for the right moment, when Baekhyun stopped talking to Chanyeol and watched him leave, to reach forward and grab his wrist, not caring that he was trying to break free while forcing him towards his own hut.

" Let me the fuck go!"

" If you stop avoiding me, yes. If not, you will stay and listen to me," he breathed out almost desperately and it left the silver haired man to groan in dissatisfaction, arms crossing over his chest," I fucking miss my best friend. Please don't continue doing this to me, Baekhyun-ah. "

It made the omega think, because he knew he missed his friend as well but why was some part of him still so angry? However, standing here and watching Kyungsoo being close to crying did something to him and he knew, no matter how much time would pass by, he would never stop caring for him.

Yes he had been wrong for keeping his relationship a secret, but he was happy and it turned out that those three alphas weren't bad people, which cleared up the situation overall. His pride was what kept him from making up, and right now he was so close to giving in.

" I miss you too, a lot. You still lied to me though. That was fucking mean…"

" I shouldn’t have done that and I will forever feel bad about it, but please, start forgiving me. I want my friend back."

Looking at the other and seeing the tears spring to his eyes, Baekhyun started to feel bad for being so uptight and it ultimately made him nod his head, gasping when the other ran into his arms and hugged him closely.

" Thank you, sincerely. "

" It's okay, it will be okay…So, how are things anyways with, you know, Jongin?"

" Oh, wonderful. He is wonderful, Baekhyun-ah," Kyungsoo replied and blushed a cute pink, which made the silver haired male chuckle into his hand, finding it adorable how affected he seemed to be, " He treats me so nicely, it's almost like a fairytale. What about you?"

"  _ What _ about me?"

Taken aback by the question, they moved apart and Baekhyun stared confusedly into the other's eyes, seeking an answer, but then it clicked inside his head. It clicked quite loudly.

" You and Chanyeol! I see how you act around him."

" There is nothing, Kyungsoo, stop asking," he snorted and avoided the topic by walking towards the door. It was not like he did not know it was true, it was more the fact that he wasn't so sure himself and jumping to conclusions wouldn't have been the best idea.

" Baekhyun, don't you dare run away now!"

" I can't hear youuuuu~."

-

Honestly, it felt good to have his best friend back and he knew he had acted out on his own feelings and anger, appreciating that Kyungsoo took the first step. What disturbed him though, was the fact that he had brought up Chanyeol, because now he could not stop thinking about how he probably acted like.

Was it different than when he is together with his brothers? Did he smile a lot? Or was he just overall more happy?

He could not say he wasn't, because every time he was with the taller, his chest indeed felt lighter. It reminded him of their past and how close they had been, making him wonder if they could be like that again.

There was this strong pull, it always had been there and he knew the black haired man felt it as well, so maybe it wasn't all that bad to reach for it, even if he had a certain amount of fear within his ribcage.

Now sitting in their training hut, even if he wasn't allowed to fight just yet, he watched Chanyeol train with Kyungsoo, quarreling closely while throwing fists and also legs. It was interesting, but there was some sort of envy in his chest, or was it jealousy?

Shaking his head to get rid of the thought, he looked back up only to see the tall alpha holding the other omega close, and it just set his nerves on fire in a terribly uncomfortable way. Before he knew it, he suddenly stood in front of them both, surrounded by their heavy breathing and questioning gazes and all he could bring up was stuttering, because what the fuck are you doing Byun Baekhyun?

" Is everything okay??"

Listening to Chanyeol’s voice, he looked up and met both their eyes, only nodding his head after a few seconds, but then he slid in between them and faced the taller, moving both of his hands into the air and pushing Kyungsoo away with his back, not really caring about anything else but the other.

" I want to try and fight with you!"

" Baekhyun-ah...You still need to rest," the alpha argued, worry in his eyes evident. The determination in the omega's eyes was big though and even if years passed by, he still was unable to say no," ...okay. Only one round."

" I will go fetch water for us in the meantime!"

Waiting until Kyungsoo had left, Baekhyun grinned cheekily and waited for the other to attack, only surprised when he was way faster than the last time, or was he himself just slower? It was confusing, but then he remembered that he indeed still had to rest and he realized how stupid of a suggestion that was of him.

Nevertheless, he would never give up, which is why he ducked his head at the next attack, feeling slightly dizzy but hitting right back, only for Chanyeol to grab his wrists and throw him over, both losing balance.

This wasn't planned, but it wasn't that bad when Baekhyun noticed that he had landed on the alpha. It was comfortable and he only ended up laughing at his own stupidity, slowly sitting up to stare into the black haired male's eyes.

Close proximity like this usually made him feel self-conscious and not good about himself, because it was a vulnerable state and did not fit his overall cold attire. When he was together with the tall man though, he felt like everything was okay and he would protect him.

" Okay, maybe you were right. I feel dizzy."

" I told you!! Are you okay otherwise?"

Humming at his tenderly spoken question, it was then in that moment that both of them  _ finally  _ realized the position they were in and that they overall were pretty close with each other. What was funnier though, was that none of them dared to move away, not like the last time, and there instead was a warm hand on Baekhyun's waist, steadying him.

" I think so? You are quite the good pillow to land on."

" Oh, is that all I'm good for?" Chanyeol asked teasingly and squeezed the soft flesh he was holding, eyes narrowing when the omega's ear started to turn red. There was no rational thought rushing through his head when he leaned up on his elbows, pushing his face even closer to the other's and he knew he was probably overdoing it.

But was there really a way to stop, when the silver haired beauty seemed so desperate for his touches and  _ his _ touches only?

" Baekhyun-ah…"

" ...Yeah?..."

" Guys! I have water  _ and  _ some snacks...oh. Oh damn, did I interrupt anything?"

Starting to blush furiously, Baekhyun felt stupid for even going this far and giving in to his ridiculous thoughts, before stumbling up and moving away from the other, cheeks burning like a wildfire. There were always people interrupting them and he hated that that annoyed him more than the fact that Chanyeol had touched him and had been so close.

" It doesn't matter, if you  _ had  _ interrupted anything, it's over now anyways."

Salty. He couldn't hide it, not when he was missing the warmth of the other so much. 

" Okay?...Anyways, let's continue our training then!"

-

Even after several days had passed, he still did not feel good mentally and physically. His body just seemed to adjust slowly, with his stomach still hurting and his head pounding whenever he moved too much and in moments like those, he hated to be an omega.

That thought just got intensified when he woke up to loud voices, eyes immediately finding Chanyeol right outside his window, talking to Junmyeon. He was wearing a backpack and had a mask around his neck, nothing about this spoke for something positive and he was faster out of bed than he could think.

Clad in his sleeping shorts and a mere t-shirt, he threw the door open and stared at everyone who looked at him, eyeing the weapons they were holding. But, in the end his gaze found that of the alphas and he just knew something was up.

" What is going on here?? Why are you dressed like that? All of you?"

" Baekhyun-ah...we-"

" No wait. There is something you didn't tell me, isn't there?" He asked with obvious disappointment, a small dry chuckle leaving his shaky lips. Baekhyun absolutely hated being left out, what he hated more right now was the fact that his old friend seemed to still not get that.

" We will go on a hunt for Hanwoo. Chanyeol may have a clue about his whereabouts. Don't even think about tagging along, I forbid you, " Junmyeon said while he pushed his knife back into the hold against his pants. His voice was strained and it scared the smaller and even if he knew that there was no chance of him tagging along, he still felt angry that he was not allowed to do so.

" You're kidding me. I  _ always  _ go on the missions with you…and you didn't even think about talking to me? Would you all have left just like this, not saying goodbye at least?? You too, Chanyeol?"

Looking at the black haired man, he knew there was hurt reflected on his own face and it seemed to trouble the taller, because from one moment to the other he was standing right in front of Baekhyun, one of his big hands touching the smaller’s shoulder.

" I can't say it's not true, but trust me when I tell you that it was with no ill intentions...we know you would have argued to tag along-"

" That does not justify you just leaving me alone." Oh, this was way deeper than Chanyeol had at first thought, Baekhyun was scared and he was showing it. This wasn't only about their detour, it was about a repetition of their past and everyone was watching them.

Knowing he had brought out the most vulnerable part of the omega, in front of others, was not a good feeling at all and he hated that he could see angry tears in his soft golden eyes.

" I-...I wouldn't-"

" You are doing it right now. Don't try to make me look like a fool," Baekhyun replied and he knew he was showing a side to the others, he usually never showed. What was worse was that he was so terribly affected by Chanyeol acting like he did and he just knew it was because of those intense feelings within his chest.

Seeing his hand come closer to his face, he took a step back, heart hurting when he saw the alpha's sad eyes. What was he supposed to do when the anger was stronger than rationality?

" Fine. Leave, before I completely lose every sense of calmness."

He could see that the other wanted to say something again, but then Junmyeon gently pulled him by the arm, knowing that Baekhyun could be even worse if he wanted to be. 

Which is why they left, their backs disappearing into the deep dark forest, making the smaller feel like he was an outsider all over again.

  
  



	15. Chapter Fourteen

Two weeks passed by like nothing, two goddamn weeks that scared Baekhyun so much that he mostly kept to himself. He had calmed down four hours after their conversation, regretting that he had yelled instead of given them a proper farewell, because one could never know what may happen.

Their situation was already tense enough and he had nothing better to do but feel attacked in his pride. There was another reason he came to terms with, and that was Chanyeol. To some extent it felt like a repetition of the past, only that now they were at different points in life.

Baekhyun was no longer the helpless little omega, he was such a strong person, both mentally and physically now but that tiny incident surely created a crack in the perfect facade. When he had yelled that he would be left alone, he was telling the truth, because he was feeling terribly lonely now that they were gone. 

What was ridiculous though, was that what he missed most, was the alpha’s warmth. The moments they shared were repeating inside of his head and he simply could no longer ignore that he was comforted by his presence, not as a friend but as way more than that.

Years had passed by and no one had ever made him thirst for a kiss, but one glance at the other man and his knees literally felt like jelly. Of course he didn't show that, not to his brothers or anyone else, but would he be able to hide it from Chanyeol?

It was a weird feeling to crave for someone he had hated for seven years, but on the other hand, he was innocent so it wasn't all that bad. Nevertheless, some part of him did not want to give in, did not want to be vulnerable again because the fear of being left alone was so  _ so  _ big.

The situation now wasn't any different, but the more time passed by without a sign of return from the others, the more he slipped back into his past self, that scared and broken personality he had shed himself off from.

It just felt like a part of himself was dying and he simply could not understand why. It was missing and it hurt whenever he got reminded of it, so maybe there was something he had always turned his back to, now realizing he shouldn't have.

Was it really a weakness to let yourself go when you were together with a person who makes you feel alive? Or was it really just the guilt of hating someone for something they didn't do? Baekhyun had trouble understanding that his feelings never really left, he had just suppressed them because he could not understand how someone he adored could betray him. Maybe it was too good to be true now that he was back with him.

He was overthinking this, wasn't he? He knew he was and he still wasn't able to stop himself from biting his lips constantly, knowing they were bruised at this point. A week ago he had gone back to training, because he really was feeling better, but it wasn't enough distraction for his never ending thoughts. 

Kyungsoo had oftentimes visited him in his hut, just to distract him because he knew what the silver haired man was thinking about, but all that was worth nothing when after two weeks, there was still no change. It started to worry him, thinking the worst and he ended up not sleeping at all.

At one point he actually had to laugh, because why were his emotions and the way he felt suddenly so dependent on someone and why did only a small part of him care?

It was one of those nights where he had stayed up longer than intended again, knowing sleep would find him either not at all or rather difficult. Baekhyun was holding a cup of tea within his slender, bruised hands, from fighting, when he heard footsteps outside his hut. Not only one pair but a few at once and he had never felt his heartbeat pick up this fast before. 

The way it was pumping against his chest hurt so damn much, but it was worth it when he ran towards his door and slammed it open, seeing a few people in the dark. His eyes had to adjust, but then he saw Junmyeon covered in blood and dirt, Jongin who was holding someone with a mask over his face and lastly Chanyeol. Chanyeol who had dried blood on his cheeks as well and looked so tired.

No rational thought rushed through his head, when he walked out with his naked feet soaking in the dirt and carrying him over to the taller, one of his shaking hands reaching up to touch the alpha's face. It was like they were alone, just them two in the middle of the woods and he simply did not care that he was being terribly vulnerable right now.

" You're…You're okay, right?" He said, voice strained and tense. To everyone standing around them, it came as a surprise that Baekhyun acted like he did, after all, he was known to be cold and harsh and Jongin was so close to spill something stupid, wouldn't it have been for Junmyeon reading the room and dragging him away.

Now it really was only them and Chanyeol still struggled to accept that the smaller really was touching him right now. God did he miss his face those last two weeks. This right now just felt unreal and he did not dare to ruin it.

" I am. This...it's not my blood."

" I'm glad," Baekhyun sighed heavily, hand still against his warm cheek, thumb stroking over the dried blood before the alpha put his own hand over it, gently squeezing it as a reassurance. That was the exact moment he realized what he was doing, but this time there was no one who could have ruined the moment and it empowered the way he felt.

" Did you lose weight? You seem so tired as well…"

" It's not that surprising, is it? I was worried after all."

Letting his hand drop back to his side, the omega glanced up to look into the other's eyes, feeling ashamed when he saw the worry and slight disappointment. It wasn't his fault that he was unable to sleep or eat, but he understood it. Just knowing that he was cared about was enough to prove the way he was feeling and it made him brave.

So brave that he took a step forward and leaned his head against Chanyeol’s warm chest, breathing heavily when he was wrapped in a tight embrace. It felt so immensely good to be comforted like this, to know everything was okay again and he did not want this moment to end. Not when he could feel the taller's lips press a kiss against the top of his hair. Gentle and barely there, knowing the alpha probably didn't want him to notice, too bad that he was cautious about everything. 

" I missed you…"

" I missed you more," Chanyeol whispered closer to the other's ear and for a moment it really felt like they were back to their seventeen year old selves. Fearless and hopelessly in love with each other. He knew he had to clean himself, because he could smell the metal and the dirt, but he simply could not bring himself to let the smaller go, not when Baekhyun was hugging him so desperately. 

" Say, how about I go wash off this...everything, and then I will sleep in your hut tonight? I can sense that you don't want to be alone."

Looking up at his suggestion, the omega was glad it was dark because he knew his cheeks were glowing red. Not because of embarrassment or anything of that sort, but because he was touched. That was exactly what ran through his head and he adored that the tall man seemed to be able to read him like a book. 

" You're right, I don't want to be alone tonight."

-

As promised, Chanyeol did come into his hut about half an hour later, with Baekhyun already laying on his bed. Now that the taller was back and he knew all of them were safe, he suddenly felt immensely tired and it showed when he looked at the taller taking off his shirt, his eyes only opened slightly.

It was a nice sight, especially when the alpha's abs flexed subconsciously from his movements, with the moonlight shining through the window and the smaller simply could not hide that he enjoyed the view. Nevertheless, he was glad it was dark enough for his red cheeks to be hidden and he instead scooted over when Chanyeol walked closer, arm holding the blanket up.

" Don't you want to wear a shirt?"

" I felt how cold you were earlier and I know you like my warmth, so no, let me make sure that you're comfortable enough to be able to sleep."

There it was again, a simple act of kindness that completely threw the omega out of focus. Yes he had been cold, and yes he appreciated the other's warmth, but this was just too much for his heart. Especially all at once.

" ...Thank you…" he whispered and watched the other sit down on the mattress before he scooted closer and there wasn't even a second in which Baekhyun could have prepared for the hand on his waist, pulling him closer, because it happened so fast and  _ so  _ gently. Almost as if he consisted of air, because it seemed so easy for the other to hold him against this own large body. 

At first the omega had no clue where to put his head or hands, but when he listened to the steady heartbeat of Chanyeol, it just seemed to calm him down and even if he still was unsure about his own feelings, he ended up pressing his chin against the taller's neck, with his hands on his chest.

It was extremely comfortable and he knew he would get addicted to this if it continued to happen, but he couldn't have cared less when there was a careful hand stroking through his silver hair, a thumb sliding across his scars in a caring manner, almost as if he was appreciating them and that was what made him doze off quickly, eyelashes fluttering against warm skin.

-

When the first sunbeams peaked through the small window, Baekhyun woke up as well, not drained at all. It almost felt like his energy had restocked and he knew it was thanks to the other. Outside it was still quiet, indicating that no one was up just yet and it was overall way too sad to just get up, which is why he instead laid back down on the other's chest, smiling to himself.

This was exactly like the times they had shared a bed together in the past, comforting, soft and just perfect. Nothing about this was too much or too less and for the first time in forever he was glad he had made this decision. Feeling the taller's chest move up and down, he relaxed instantly but frowned when Chanyeol suddenly coughed, making him sit up instead to look down at him.

" Everything okay?"

" Y-Yeah, I think I choked on my own spit."

Softly giggling at his words, Baekhyun yawned briefly and then felt a hand against his scars once more, this time following the movement of his thumb over the whole expanse of the damaged skin. He had always thought of them as ugly and shameful, so why was it that he thought of them as a blessing now, seeing how the alpha seemed to adore them.

" You are doing this for the second time now, do they feel weird? I know the skin is bumb-"

" I think they are beautiful. They may not have a good reason, scars never do, but they do not make you look less like  _ you _ . I hope you know that. "

Taken aback by such meaningful words right in the morning, the smaller stared at the other for a long  _ long _ second, but then decided to stand up, because the way his heart was pounding hurt. It was so fast and harsh inside his ribcage and he simply wished for it to stop, even if it was only for a mere second.

" You're quite sappy in the morning, you've always been."

" Oh, so you remember that?" Chanyeol asked teasingly and leaned up on his elbows, watching Baekhyun search for clothes to wear. He looked so small and yet he was probably the strongest person he knew, so bold and confident that it truly took away his breath. What he also saw was the small smile displayed on his petal shaped lips and it made him wonder what they would taste like.

Still like freshly picked roses?

Shaking off that thought, he sat up properly and stretched his arms over his head, feeling sweaty but good overall and that was when he noticed the other's hair standing up in all directions.

" Baekhyun-ah, your hair…"

" Don't even mention it, it's always so bad in the morning."

" Let me help you," he suggested and got up before Baekhyun could even reply, hovering behind him and casting a shadow over his smaller frame. His hands gently carded through his silver locks over and over again until they at least looked decent, but he instantly missed the feeling of the softness of the strands, " There you go."

" Thank you, Chanyeol-ah. I will leave for my morning training. Feel at home in the meantime, okay? I'm sure when I'm back there is a lot we need to talk about."

" Trust me, there is."


	16. Chapter Fifteen

It was funny how Baekhyun felt like he was walking on clouds, now that the taller was back with him. Some alone time in the woods was enough for him to finally let sink in what had happened last night and even if he wanted to be against it or regret it, he couldn't because pictures of them sleeping together were making him smile so brightly.

He had felt it when they had stood in front of each other, the night surrounding them, that one beat of his heart had been different and he accepted it. Having Chanyeol back and feeling like he was still his number one person was amazing, but years had passed by and needs had changed.

Back then the simple kiss they had shared was enough, now he felt like he was thirsty for more, but too shy to voice it out. How could he ever do that? Not when he still felt like a thing instead of a person, his scars having cut deeper than just the skin. There was still one on his heart, carved right into the flesh, but with every passing day, he noticed it started to heal.

Shaking his head and trying to, for once, not think about Chanyeol, even if that was impossible after such an eventful morning, he grabbed his bow and was ready to train some more, when he heard Junmyeon’s voice in the distance, calling for him.

What greeted him once he was back, were all of his brothers and the alphas standing in a circle and he did not care that eyes were on him, when instead of walking to Kyungsoo, like he always did, he walked towards the alpha, pressing lightly against his side.

" Good. Now that we are all here, it is time to announce that we were successful. We caught Hanwoo after one week and a half, outside of the woods and close to the ocean. Thanks to Chanyeol we had a loose thread which we were able to follow and it was just our luck that we crossed paths," their leader started to explain, his hands resting on his hips while his eyes were darting around the place," Yes, we fought, yes we had to kill people but in the end they were all involved in selling and abusing our brothers. For now, I want us to celebrate this small success, we deserve one day of  _ real  _ rest, and that is why I asked Kyungsoo to prepare wine. Now go spend the day however you want and let's meet here tonight, to drink and have fun."

_ That  _ sounded like heaven and Baekhyun actually couldn't remember the last time he dressed up or drunk, which was only more exciting now that he had someone he wanted to impress. Weirdly enough, that was something he had forgotten, but now that Chanyeol was here with him he really slipped back into old habits, just more maturely.

Watching the black haired man talk to Sehun, he quietly walked away and into his hut, feeling so nervous. Fests like the one they were about to hold were always loud and pretty, literally. All of them knew what they looked like and who they were and they dressed accordingly to that, including the smaller. They were proud omegas and they were beautiful. 

Even if he knew he wasn't the prettiest, especially due to the scars, he was still proud and that is why the first thing he reached for was a black velvety blouse which Junmyeon had made for him for his 20th birthday. He had only worn it once, but now he felt like it was the right opportunity. Yes, it had a deep v-cut but it covered the burn marks and that was reason enough to choose it.

There was still more than enough time, so he took a shower as well and when he was clad in his blouse, black pants and combat boots, Baekhyun felt like a wreck. His nerves were tense, because he wanted to look in the mirror, he badly wanted to see how he looked like, but he just couldn't.

A part of him felt like he would be disappointed seeing how he had grown up, but then he remembered Chanyeol’s words and it was just a mere second that passed by, before he looked into the small mirror he owned. Like a breath of fresh air, he was surprised. The childish gleam seemed to have never really left his eyes and the scars were deep, yes, but not as bad as he always had thought. 

Smiling to himself and feeling so proud at his own actions, he flinched when he heard a loud voice laughing outside, reminding him that their fest was already happening. He was late, but that way he felt more comfortable, knowing no eyes would find him. 

Well, that was a total lie, because suddenly it seemed like he was the main attraction with all of his brothers having their eyes on him. Was it the blouse? Did he forget to comb his hair? Moreover, it slightly reminded him of his old pack and their evil stares, those right now though, were nothing short of gentle.

That was when he saw Chanyeol with a glass in his hands, a bright smile on his lips while he talked to some of his friends. They all seemed to like him and it both felt good and bad, because there was jealousy brimming inside his chest.

" Chanyeol-ah, " he called and watched as he turned towards him, his eyes so gentle and respectful when they wandered over the smaller's body and stopped at his face, lips curving into a different type of smile the closer he came.

"That blouse is new, I'm sure of it."

" Oh, so you seem to look at me a lot for you to notice?"

" I  _ always  _ look at you, Baekhyun-ah, " the taller joked, but realized that it affected the other, visible due to his beautiful red cheeks. Maybe it was the really strong wine he had already drunk, but he did not find it in him to take back his words, not when the omega stepped even closer and reached for the glass he was holding to take a sip as well.

" I noticed that...do you enjoy the wine? Kyungsoo has been working on it for three years now."

" It's delicious, a little dry but I like that."

Nodding his head at Chanyeol's words, Baekhyun gave him back his glass and fetched himself his own, purposely sticking close to the other, because there he felt the safest. Everyone around them were bustling and laughing, truly having fun for the first time in ages and it felt so freeing.

Nevertheless, he also noticed the alpha's eyes gazing down at his blouse once or twice and he knew his chest was exposed to some extent. The smaller should have felt embarrassed or awkward, so why was it that he purposely pulled it down a bit further whenever he had the opportunity, craving for his attention.

_ Maybe it really was the wine's fault.  _

He was a careful drinker, but the strong taste was intoxicating enough to make him feel lighter than usually and that was risky, because it made him braver and less caring about his ever pending thoughts. There were eyes on them, especially Kyungsoo’s and Junmyeon’s, but they were caring and they seemed to be happy that he was able to finally let go of himself. After all, they had been watching him over the expanse of seven years, being eaten up by guilt and anger.

This now, was almost salvation.

Until there suddenly was a warm hand on his hip, a light touch that grew more daring the longer he did not work against it. How could he, when it was that of Chanyeol's, making him feel  _ so _ good. He did not look up either though, simply because now he really was shy. What he did was step closer and give silent approval, sighing in content when there was a thumb stroking the skin right under the end of his blouse.

" They all seem to have a lot of fun, I'm glad that we can spend such a nice evening together. We deserve it," the alpha whispered while sipping on his wine, a fond expression on his face while he watched the others and there was that tension between them again, so obvious and strong but both seemed to try and ignore it.

For once Baekhyun did not find it in him to continue doing that and with the last bit of wine he drank, he put everything he had into his new found confidence and leaned up, head nuzzling into the taller's neck. A soft gesture, but also intimate and a sign of trust, which made Chanyeol want to dissolve into a puddle of pure devastation. 

" I'm...I'm really happy that you came back  _ and  _ that you are okay, Chanyeol-ah," Baekhyun mumbled and tried his best to just get closer somehow, because it seemed like he was unable to properly act on his feelings. It almost seemed like he had forgotten how to flirt, but it was all just a fleeting worry when the black haired man seemed to understand it.

When he looked up, their faces were closer than ever, so close that the omega could feel his breath on his reddened skin and his eyes instantly found his plush pink lips, stained from the alcohol. Chanyeol didn't seem to intend doing much more, when his forehead leaned against Baekhyun’s and it just felt more intimate than any kiss in the world, making him smile softly.

" And I am really glad that there was someone waiting for me, for when I come back...It was even better, because it was you…"

_ Wow. _ That made his heart beat so quickly, ears numbing out every other noise except for the taller's voice. The flip his stomach made was intense and he wanted to feel it again, just not...here. Slowly but surely the eyes on them irritated him and that was why he leaned even closer, towards the alpha's ear, to whisper into it.

" Do you want to go on a walk with me?"

-

The forest was quiet around this hour, just the rustling of the trees and their footsteps was what they heard as they continued to stride towards the lake close by. They usually washed their clothes here, but with the moonlight shining down onto the water surface, it almost looked magical and it also was romantic to some extent. 

Chanyeol was only a few steps away from him, his huge frame looking even bigger in the weak lighting and yet, his facial features were nothing short of soft. Actually, his eyes were constantly on Baekhyun and the smaller just could not ignore the fact that he could feel the yearning.

" It's beautiful here, your territory is really way different from mine…"

" And better, right?" The omega teased and turned around, his hands behind his back. He still could remember his old home really clearly, and he knew it was rather blant. The people  _ and  _ the surroundings.

" I mean, you are here so yeah, it's way better," Chanyeol retorted and he could not hold his laughter when the other almost exploded from embarrassment. Now that it was just them two, the tension was way more relaxed but still as evident as ever and he loved that they both finally seemed to be able to enjoy it.

" You know what, Chanyeol?"

Speaking up and looking towards the lake, Baekhyun walked closer to the alpha and had to hold his giggle when he could see his Adam's apple bob in anxiety. He always had this habit when he was nervous and it was comforting to know that it did not change. 

With every step he took, Chanyeol walked one backwards and then they halted completely, the smaller's eyes staring intensely into those of the black haired male's. There was a lot he would have been able to do at this point, and he knew the other man thought that as well, what he chose though, was revenge.

" I think you deserve payback, you know, for leaving me alone."

"...What are yo-" Chanyeol started but stopped mid sentence when he was pushed against his chest, the impact with water following only seconds later. He hadn't realized they had walked so close to the lake and it was then that he also noticed how cold it actually was, eyes immediately finding those of the smaller’s, watching him laugh wholeheartedly. 

" You should look at yourself, " he chuckled and held his stomach, not seeing the alpha swimming closer, until he felt a hand on his wrist, pulling him into the water as well. It was sudden and there was no time to react when he yelped loudly, hands immediately scrambling for something to hold onto.

To no one's surprise, it were the shoulders of his friend and he also realized he was being held up by his waist, their wet bodies pressed directly against each other, " You're mean, Chanyeol-ah... "

" Do you think so? "

" Hmm...Yeah…" he replied in a whisper while his fingers were stroking along the seam of the taller's shirt, a droplet of water dripping from his black hair down to his collarbone. He looked so beautiful in the moonlight and it was rather difficult to not stare at him, especially when the water was cold but the heat between their bodies was growing.

Actually, it felt even better to be held like that, with big hands right above his butt, wrapped around his hips. They were gentle and warm and it made him momentarily forget that he was shivering like a leaf. Chanyeol’s finger slipped under Baekhyun’s shirt, coming in contact with the goosebumps that raked over his skin and it made a breathless whimper leave his petal shaped lips.

One that was so quiet and yet so loud, shared right between them and directly into the alpha's face. How was the tall man supposed to hold back when the omega was so vulnerable and soft right within his hold, pressing as close as possible and against all the right places" Baekhyun-ah, you're beautiful…"

Of course he was taken aback, but what weighed more than his worries, was the fact that the compliment went right to his heart and he could not do anything else but believe it. It was as if it spurred him on and heightened his confidence, when his hands moved up to Chanyeol’s face to gently hold his cheeks, stroking the stubble he could feel under his fingers. Nothing could have prepared him for the way his feelings started to overflow and there was only one thing in his head that he wanted to do.

" Shh…" he mumbled and got even closer until his trembling lips pressed against the taller's, softly and barely there but it surely made his whole body tremble when Chanyeol kissed him back, a tad bit harder and needier.

It lasted a whole second and then they pulled apart, eyes gazing into each other's, drained in need. No rational thought was thunk when they dived right back in, harsher and more desperate with their lips clashing over and over again. The water around them was splashing up slightly from their movements and Chanyeol’s arms wandered further down now, to hold Baekhyun close by his butt, making sure he would not drop him.

One of his hands slipped up though, to gently cup the omega’s face and pull him closer, stroking over his scars, lips slashing together like a puzzle piece. Their soft moaning and heavy breathing suddenly seemed so loud right inside their ears and yet, there was no way they would have wanted to stop. Not when it felt so good the moment their tongues touched and curled around each other, the kisses having turned more sensual and  _ definitely _ more desperate. 

Baekhyun was literally clinging onto the other at this point, hips rutting against his body the more he let his lips get bitten and pulled on, spit connecting them both until they were breathless. It was then that the smaller finally realized that there never had been anyone else beside Chanyeol that he would have let this close. No one. A small smile appeared on his lips when their foreheads pressed against each other, but it turned into a moan when his ass was squeezed, eyes immediately staring into those of the other's. 

" Not here, Chanyeol-ah…"

-

It was downright sensual when Baekhyun’s back hit the wall of his hut, forcing a loud whine from his throat. His legs were still wrapped around the taller's waist and both of them were wet to the bone, the floor meeting a few droplets that flew down, but they couldn't have cared less.

Nothing about this was rushed, it was more like some balloon had finally popped, unleashing their deepest needs and making them crave for one another. Chanyeol’s hands were still under the smaller’s butt, grabbing and kneading the flesh gently until he moved one of them upwards, to slide under the omega's shirt.

It made Baekhyun gasp and shiver, because his fingers were as cold as ice and it felt like a burning trail, the more he stroked them along his backbone. Nevertheless, it also made him want more and that was when he leaned forward to give the alpha another kiss, rougher than those they had shared before and messier. 

They had sneaked back through the forest, ignoring the loud voices and laughter to just be by themselves and it had been the right choice, especially because now he could see just how desperate the black haired male seemed to be, with his eyes hooded and his lips bitten raw and red.

He was a beautiful mess and Baekhyun wanted to ruin him even more. 

Giving him a slight signal to wanting to be let down, he waited until his feet touched the ground and then made sure to not break their eye contact while he undressed and pulled his shirt over his head, momentarily forgetting that his skin was covered in burn marks. He was just so excited that he continued to strip off his pants as well, standing in the middle of the room, completely naked.

In Chanyeol’s eyes he was ethereal, his raw beauty uncanny. No amount of scars or marks would ever ruin the view he had of the smaller and being allowed to see him like this and touch him, was the greatest honor. His skin was milky, resembling fine china and the longer he stared the harder it got to focus. Which is why he slowly stepped closer and wrapped one of his arms around his waist, trapping him between the wall and himself. 

That way he was  _ so  _ close and every mole on his face seemed prettier than the next one. For the alpha this was something he did not want to ruin but his instincts also told him to make him his and that scared him to some extent. However, the longer he did not say anything, the more Baekhyun squirmed and that made Chanyeol realize that he seemed nervous.

" They are ugly aren't they?...red and angry all over my skin, I wish you wouldn't need to see the-" being interrupted by a finger pressing against his lips, he focused on the feeling of Chanyeol's thumb stroking along them and then sighed when he was pulled by his chin, into a kiss that made him breathless. 

What he least expected was the taller moving away after that and falling onto his knees, briefly stripping off his wet shirt as well. Here in the moonlight, the omega was able to see his muscles once more, this time just in a very specific way and he wanted to moan about how amazing he looked.

Nevertheless as soon as he had focused on that, he felt lips against his chest and stomach, specifically over his scars. Chanyeol was kissing them, adoring the marks as if they held all the secrets in the world and he did not know why, but Baekhyun started to tear up. Not once in those seven years did he cry, now he was close to falling apart.

The alpha noticed that and he heard the sniffling but he did not intend to stop. He only knew roughly what the omega had gone through, knew about his fear and worries but he actually wanted for him to be able to let go of everything, even if it was only for one now. Right here, in his arms.

Moving his lips over the scars and down to his hips, he kissed the skin there as well and whispered against it, hot breath warming up the goosebumps. 

" Every goddamn part of you is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I adore you, I adore the way you look like and I always did. Let me love you...even if it is only for one night."

By now he was more or less choking on his tears, those which were falling over his cheeks freely, leaving a trail behind. He had never thought he needed this, needed to feel normal and it was given to him by someone, no,  _ the _ only one he had ever wanted. Which is why he gently cupped Chanyeol’s face again and waited for him to stand up, before he leaned on his tiptoes and gave the other man one soft and tender kiss," I don't want this to be only one night, I want you Chanyeol, only you. "

" You know, you always had me wrapped around your finger, Baekhyun-ah…" the alpha whispered back and for a brief second they just smiled until suddenly he pressed their lips together once more, one hand wandering down to wrap the omega's naked leg around his own waist. That way he was able to slowly grind against his lover, swallowing every sound that slipped from his lips.

Nothing in the world could have prepared them for how intense this would have felt and it got even more obvious, when Chanyeol moved one of his hands down towards Baekhyun’s ass, his fingers slipping right between his buttcheeks. He wanted to grab them, squeeze them and fondle the soft flesh, but what stopped him was the warm liquid wandering down the smaller’s thick thighs.

Moving his lips down to the omega's neck, he pressed kisses against the shivering skin and then one onto his earlobe, whispering right into the shell, " You're so aroused…"

" Only when I'm with you…" Baekhyun said back, surprised that he was producing slick in the first place, but then he remembered that Chanyeol was special. He always had been and he would always be. Taken aback by a finger pressing deep inside of him, it stretched his walls and made his head fall forward onto the other's shoulder.

It wasn't uncomfortable, not at all and that was what truly made him wonder just how into this he really was. Wrapping his arms around the alpha's neck, he rolled his hips with every move of his finger, grinding against his lover's crotch while there were kisses pressed against his neck.

Gentle was what he would have described Chanyeol’s behavior, tender as well. It felt good to be touched like this, even if standing started to be difficult, but the pleasure was still the thing that dominated the whole situation. When a second and third finger joined, there was nothing short of sparks up his spine, making soft moans drip out of his mouth and he knew he was losing himself more and more.

The black haired man was careful, even if he was restraining himself at this point, the need of wanting to ruin Baekhyun growing bigger the more time passed. How couldn't he have wanted that, when the most beautiful man he knew was pressed against him, mewling right into his ear the more he twisted his fingers. It was warm inside of the smaller, tight as well and he could not stop himself from imagining to enter him completely, to pleasure him and make him cry out his name.

What stopped him from doing so, right here against the wall, was when he could see and feel how badly Baekhyun’s legs were starting to shake and he knew it was probably difficult while standing. Which is why he didn't wait long to gently remove his fingers and pick his lover back up into his arms, looking right into his eyes while he walked backwards to the bed.

The omega was sweating, cheeks red and swollen but he also looked absolutely stunning and he just had to smile when the smaller did so as well. It was such a soft moment and it did not stop even after he carefully laid the silver haired male down onto the mattress, before removing his own pants right after. 

Now he was in all of his naked glory, sensing how Baekhyun was gazing at  _ every  _ part, until he met his eyes again. He was laying there, legs spreading slowly and then he called the taller over once more, waiting until he slipped between his thighs and placed his hands right beside his head.

" Chanyeol-ah, you were always the only one for me, I want you to know that."

Moving closer to be able to kiss the smaller, Chanyeol also left a small peck on his nose and forehead, bathing in the mood they both created. Just hearing that had always been his dream, not once in those seven years did he look or was interested in another person. Baekhyun had always been on his mind, always.

" You were the only one for me as well,  _ my _ beautiful omega."

That word held a special meaning. Both of them knew that Baekhyun wasn't the typical omega or better said, a perfect one. He would never be able to bear children or have a proper heat, so being aware of the fact that Chanyeol wanted him, despite all of that, was not only touching but it also meant  _ so _ much. Sure, it still hurt that he would never be able to offer him what other omegas could, but he had always known that they could make it work.

Gathering his thoughts and glancing back up at his lover, the smaller smiled softly and nudged their noses together, before grabbing his neck gently and pulling him closer for a small kiss. One that was more desperate again, one that felt different than the ones they had shared before and he knew why. They both let go of that anxiousness that threatened to rip them apart and it was amazing.

Ready for another meeting of their trembling lips, Baekhyun ended up gasping and letting out a shuddering breath, when he could feel the alpha pressing against him. This was a first for them two and the nervousness could be grabbed like a cloud right above their heads, but they also were at their limit. The omega was, and that is why he carefully reached out for Chanyeol’s waist and pulled him closer, " I...I-I think I'm ready, Chanyeol-ah."

"...I will be really gentle, Baekhyun," the taller replied, voice heavy due to him holding back, but then he took a deep breath and started to push into the tight heat of the other’s, watching his beautiful face both contour in pain and pleasure. It was quiet around them, the forest right outside rustling ever so gentle and the bed creaking only slightly. 

This wasn't easy per se, for none of them two but somehow they made it work and it made a breath of relief leave their lips when the alpha finally bottomed out. Leaning down, he left small tender kisses all over his lover's face, drying the tears with his thumb and moving towards his ears," It's okay, I'm here for you. I'm holding you…"

Listening to the reassuring words the other whispered into his shell, Baekhyun swallowed down the pain he had felt from the stretch, relaxing his body the longer he got used to it. To be honest, it was rather unusual for a recessive omega to even produce slick, but Chanyeol seemed special and deep deep down inside his chest, he knew what that meant.

He knew that they were always meant for each other even if the world was against them, and although if years passed by, for a while he had hated the other, but the overbearing feeling of missing his other half had always been stronger. Baekhyun had mastered to hide his emotions, to build a wall around himself, right now, that exact facade was tumbling down and it revealed someone only Chanyeol would be allowed to see.

Briefly nodding his head, he ended up throwing it back into the pillow when the alpha started to move, rolling his hips right into him and pressing along his warm walls. For a moment it felt weird, this whole experience was strange, but the faster he got, the more he whimpered, feeling like falling apart from the immense pleasure that was rushing through his body.

His legs were still right beside Chanyeol's waist, shaking heavily from the movements, but then the black haired man gently pulled them closer and wrapped them properly over his own back, going deeper than before. It was both intense and not enough and he knew, the tears that were rolling down his face now, were those of pure lust.

" Oh m-my God...Chan…" he mumbled, trying not to be too loud, but it got more difficult the more the other thrusted into him and he felt grateful when Chanyeol leaned down to kiss him again, heavy and sweet, swallowing every sound that wanted to escape.

There were moans and groans shared in the small space between them, the more they rocked their bodies together and just seeing what a mess Baekhyun already was, made it hard for the alpha to hold back. The smaller’s body was mesmerizing, actually everything about him was and he knew, this would turn into an addiction real quick.

Pushing in and out, gently but fast, he could feel his ears numbing out the skin against skin noises, only focusing on the omega's sweet whimpers, the more he pressed against a certain spot inside of him. The sex was raw, it was innocent and it was terribly amateur but it was their moment and it was perfect.

They both were sweating tons, maybe because of the drying water on their body or just the exhaustion that wandered over their skin, but they didn't care. Not when it felt so good to bond completely. At one point, Baekhyun gently scratched his fingers over the other's back, leaving slight imprints from his nails, but it only heightened Chanyeol's need to ravish him even more. 

Knowing that the omega trusted him and only him, he slowly sat up between his milky thighs and pulled them upwards, his hands pressing into the space under his knees. Something about this position left Baekhyun more naked than he already was and it was a view only the taller was allowed to see.

The momentary silence was louder than words and then, he thrusted into him again, faster, louder and deeper. He had the full control by holding the silver haired man's legs and he bathed in the sweet moans that dropped from his petal shaped lips. Watching him fall apart under him, there was no way he wanted to stop what he was doing and it only got worse when Baekhyun grabbed the blanket with his slender hands, indicating that he was feeling close.

" Chanyeol-ah...p-please, God please don't stop now…" he whispered and locked eyes with the other male, waist slowly feeling numb, but the pleasure was still leading and it grew bigger the more the alpha brushed against  _ that _ spot. He had never experienced anything close to an orgasm, so when it hit him he literally screamed. It was a rough and dry yell of pleasure, ripping through his throat but it seemed to spur his lover on because he moved faster all of a sudden.

It just felt like his whole body was suddenly a sensitive spot, every touch, every movement sent him into overdrive and now he was crying because he couldn't stop feeling good. Baekhyun’s hands were helplessly searching for leverage and they found it when they wrapped back around Chanyeol's neck, feeling him slow down as well.

For a moment it was confusing, but then something warm filled him up and it did not stop. Gasping at the feeling, the smaller let his legs fall down onto the mattress when the alpha let them go, trying to squeeze them together from the sensitivity that rushed through his body. But no matter how much he tried to fight against it, that exact feeling made him cum again, tiny droplets of the white liquid wandering over his own stomach.

" God…." Chanyeol moaned himself when he calmed down from his own height and that was when he saw the other seeming kind of lost. His eyes were full of tears but they stared out of the window and he feared that this was regret. That this was all a huge mistake. However, when he was ready to ask, Baekhyun started to bawl heavier and then words tumbled from his soft lips.

" I-I'm so sorry...so so sorry, that I'm not normal, that I-" he hiccuped and touched his stomach, being able to feel the small bulge that had formed, and then he met the eyes of the other, seeing his confused gaze," ...that I can't give you what others would be able to.."

It came as a shock, maybe more than that because Chanyeol had never, not in his twenty-four years of life, seen Baekhyun in such an absolutely devastating state. Their bodies were still locked together, indicating the trust that existed between them, but it was forgotten so quickly when he leaned forward and silenced the smaller with a kiss.

Sure, they had grown closer again, they always had been, but there still were unshed secrets and something about this moment was just so raw, that it broke the little barrier inside of the alpha’s heart, making him cry as well, " Baekhyun-ah, you cannot imagine the pain I went through those last seven years, thinking you were dead. That I would never see you again. It absolutely broke me to the point I wanted to…"

Sniffling through his tears, the smaller gently touched Chanyeol's face, and encouraged him to continue, heart beating so immensely fast that he feared it would jump right out of his chest.

" I wanted to no longer be here as well, not without you...It was hell, this never ending pain I felt when knowing that my best friend, my soulmate, was gone because of me and my fear of standing up for others. There never had been anyone else in my sight, Baekhyun, never. Not before you, not when I thought you were no longer with me and not now. You are the only person that I want to be this close to and I don't care that you are different, that you are not like the other's," he said, briefly stopping to dry his own tears, because they were dripping down onto Baekhyun’s face, making his vulnerable state even more obvious, " I only want you, no one else. I love you, I've always loved you."

It made Baekhyun’s heart rate pick up dangerously, because not only was he extremely touched by his words, but the confession also evoked an old memory deep inside his head. That day when he had planned to give Chanyeol the bracelet, he had been ready to mate with him, to tell him how he really felt, but somehow that feeling had been buried over the years. 

Maybe that's why everything had hurt even more than normally, maybe that's why he was so jealous, scared and disappointed over the years. Not just because of their friendship but also because of that one feeling inside his body that made him the most vulnerable he had ever been. And right now in that exact moment when Chanyeol looked down at him, showing his softest side as well, he smiled.

He genuinely lit up and then forced him down by his neck to kiss his lips over and over again, not caring that it was salty and wet from their tears and that it ended up with them tumbling together onto the mattress. Having the tall alpha between his legs, looking at him as if he was his whole world, Baekhyun touched his nose with his own and then finally replied, leaving the other speechless.

" I have always loved you as well, Park Chanyeol. "


	17. Chapter Sixteen

When Baekhyun woke up he wasn't only within the hold of the other's naked body, but he also was burning up from embarrassment. Of course he remembered everything that had happened, from the sex itself to the confession and it made him blush heavily. Never in a million years would he have thought that it would come to this, but the moment they had shared, truly had revealed his deepest secrets.

He didn't regret it per se, but he felt exposed. The omega had told Chanyeol what had been on his mind for years and it was a weird feeling to no longer have this pressure on one's chest. Biting his swollen lips in thought, he felt movement from behind his back and that's when he turned around, watching the taller yawn and blink his eyes open.

The alpha looked tired but the warmth in his gaze made the smaller’s heart skip a beat or two, especially when he was pulled closer by one of the other's big warm hands wrapping around his waist. And then, Chanyeol scented him, rubbing his nose and lips all over Baekhyun’s neck over and over again. It was a really intimate gesture and it brought fresh redness onto his cheeks.

" Good morning to you too," he chuckled and waited for the black haired man to look back up, before kissing his lips once. Within their safe space, he felt the prettiest, especially because he was looked at as if he was art and treated like fine china. Here he did not want to be the tough cold guy, here he wanted to let go and be able to relax and he was more than happy that the alpha provided that.

" How are you feeling, beautiful?"

" Achy, but it's okay."

Gasping when Chanyeol pushed the smaller suddenly back against the mattress, he expected everything but ended up being surprised when the taller gently kissed the scars on his face once more and then wandered down to his burn marks. It tickled, because the skin was sensitive but it also made him glow like the sun. Where tears had been before, there was now just happiness.

Closing his eyes at the sensation, he flinched when Chanyeol pressed his thighs apart to fit between them and continuously stroked along the skin, eyes not leaving those of the smaller's, " What are you planning on doing so early in the morning?"

" Caressing you and making sure you're okay, of course. What did it look like?" The alpha teased and chuckled when Baekhyun gently slapped the top of his head. Of course that was  _ not  _ what he had planned on doing, but even if he wanted to continue, they had to stop when there was loud knocking on the door.

" Baekhyun  _ and  _ Chanyeol, I know you're in there. We need you both, the alpha wants to speak with us."

-

Of course it was impossible to hide what they had done, when Baekhyun showed up with a hickey on his neck and Chanyeol overall just seemed way more attentive to the smaller than previously. It was cute though and people like Kyungsoo and Junmyeon actually had waited for this to happen.

Stroking his silver hair back behind his ear, to at least make it look decent enough, they met at the room where they had put Hanwoo in, only to see him tied to the table. His face was bruised but there was still a disgusting smirk on his lips when he saw Baekhyun, and it made the smaller unusually nervous.

Actually, it brought back the touches on his thighs and neck and while there was anger, he mostly ended up being terrified. To his luck this time there was someone who protected him and that happened when Chanyeol moved in front of him to hide his presence, one of his hands reaching backwards to hold those of the smaller’s. 

" Park Chanyeol, good to see you. That punch you landed on my face was a bit too harsh, don't you think so?"

From one moment to the other, the taller alpha had rushed closer and slammed his hand onto Hanwoo's head, pressing him against the table. There were veins popping up on his arm, immense strength he seemed to hold back and it scared Baekhyun. 

" You deserved it. Either you talk or I will land another hit on the other cheek. One that won't pass."

He ended up coughing but it was still mixed with laughter and he literally represented the typical behavior that came with abusing their brothers. Hanwoo didn't even seem to care that he was held hostage nor did he want to take this seriously and it disgusted Baekhyun. 

" I deserved it? What did I do? Felt up your little slut?"

Another slam onto his head, but this time it seemed to hurt because he immediately shut up. Chanyeol was angered, more than that. He didn't want anyone to talk ill about Baekhyun ever again, but he also knew his mood was not fitting for the situation. Which is why he was glad when Junmyeon gently pulled him away and took his place, hand grabbing the other man's face to force him to look up.

" Little slut? Is that all you got? Seems like you don't take anything serious. We know you are involved in the omega trafficking, we will kill you, most probably, but before that, give me names. All of them."

If his words weren't already threatening enough, then this was, when Baekhyun watched their leader kick away Hanwoo's chair, to then ram his knife right between his legs, so close to his balls that it ripped the pants he was wearing. Hanwoo was shaking and he absolutely deserved it, all of this.

" Hm? Not going to speak up? The next hit won't miss your damn cock. It will pierce right through it."

" You're sassy, are you the leader?" The alpha asked, voice strained from the pain that ran through his face. His condition was quite bad, with the blood dripping from his forehead down onto his shirt, and his expression told everyone in the room that he was having fun.

From head to tea he was an utterly disturbing human being and it did not get better the more they threatened him.

" Even if I am, does it matter?"

" Well, I wouldn't be against talking with you, eye to eye. Just us two," he replied with a brief chuckle and what Baekhyun did not expect was for Sehun to jump in between, grabbing Hanwoo by the top of his shirt and forcing him against the closest wall. Junmyeon was equally shocked as the rest but he also seemed the most affected. 

" Stop chit chatting. Enough is enough. I'm tired of alphas like you, using your second gender to terrorize lower ranks. Either you spill everything now or I will kill you. I don't care, we can find another one of your brothers in no time."

The silence that met them was deafening and for a moment, Chanyeol thought the other would laugh again, but it seemed like he finally gave in, guessing by the way he closed his eyes for a moment. There wasn't anything close to regret in the way he acted, but the danger he was being faced with got more serious and he seemed to understand that.

" Fine, fine!! It's Park, everything has been organized by him, starting from abduction to selling. I don't know when he started doing it, but I joined him three years ago."

Of course it was like a punch to the stomach for Chanyeol, even if he had already known that his father probably was the head of the organization. It hurt a different type of way to finally know it for sure and he was glad when he felt Baekhyun press against his side, his slender fingers stroking along his arm. It wasn't much, but it calmed him down and he knew he was the one to speak up now, when everyone turned to look at him.

" So it had been my father all along? Was he also the one at fault for Baekhyun’s accident? Do you know anything about that?"

" I do. Your father kept on talking about him, because he said that omega had changed you. He didn't tell me the whole story but he indeed had planned to get rid of Baekhyun by leaving him alone in the woods. He would have died, but seems like he was found."

To no one's surprise, the alpha's expression changed the moment he heard the truth he had been avoiding. A part of him always had felt like there was something he wasn't supposed to know, but getting rid of the only person he loved was something else.

Which is why Junmyeon took over once more and started with telling Sehun to let Hanwoo go. Watching him fall to the ground, he kneeled down in front of him, his sharp knife dangling between his fingers while he stared the other down.

" Very well, one more thing. Where do we find Park and his minions?"

There it was again, deep laughter but this time it sounded less toxic and more intimidating. 

" I will tell you the location, but you have to be fast, because they are planning to move the whole organization to a whole other country. It's booming, a lot of alpha's want some fun with recessive...omegas and the resources we get for them are immense."

The whole conversation sounded like a bad dream. Knowing that omegas were sold for mere entertainment purposes, no way for them to get out of it, angered Baekhyun. It always had and now that they  _ finally  _ were on the right track, it felt too good to be true. If they would be able to end those years of suffering and searching, it would mean a lot to every one of them and he was more than glad to know that  _ his  _ alpha was on their side as well.

" Spill, and I will let you live for one day more."

-

An hour passed by when they finally were done with the conversation and had the information they needed. Location, amount of people, amount of omegas they were holding hostage. It wasn't an easy topic nor were the news easy to swallow but Baekhyun was still taken aback when Chanyeol was the first one to rush out of the place, disappearing into the woods. 

For a moment he just stared into his direction, but then he felt a hand on his shoulder, seeing Kyungsoo looking at him," He seems overwhelmed. I know it is not my place to talk about it, especially because I hadn't been present when everything happened, but there is still regret in his eyes."

" What should I do now? I am so bad with emotions, you know that best."

" I certainly know that. Junmyeon said we need to immediately prepare, but go after him first and offer him comfort. I will take care of everything in the meantime."

Listening to his best friend, it actually brought a smile to his face, because he was right and he appreciated that no questions were asked. He had a lover now, the only one for him and he was allowed to feel and do things he had held back for years. Nodding his head and saying his thanks, Baekhyun walked into the direction where the taller man disappeared into, only to find him sitting by the lake, butt flat on the dirty ground.

It seemed like he was focused on something, but then the smaller saw his shoulders shake and it kicked off the worry within him. Walking closer and kneeling down, he wrapped one arm around the alpha and just hugged him close, not saying a word.

Feeling his tears stain his shirt, Baekhyun frowned deeply, but he also felt like he knew what this was about, especially after their earlier conversation. Giving him a few minutes and a lot of gentle head pats, the omega was taken aback when there was suddenly a kiss placed on his neck and then one on his lips.

Not that he didn't like it, he definitely  _ loved  _ it, but it still took him by surprise and it seemed to be obvious on his face when Chanyeol softly laughed. His eyes were red from the tears and the more Baekhyun stared at him, the more he wanted to comfort him, which is why he soon reached his hand out to stroke his thumb over his cheek, drying the hot liquid off of his skin.

" Are you okay?"

" I'm sorry, Baekhyun-ah, I'm so so sorry," he rasped out, voice strained and covered in pain. Chanyeol was shaking from both disappointment and sadness, but the more he looked at the other's confused face, the worse he felt about himself. He knew he had fucked up, by not questioning everything earlier, by not standing up against his own pack, which is why now he felt as if he was undeserving of the other's feelings.

" I wish I could have done something earlier, something that would have avenged you. Backing off and keeping a distance from everyone was not enough and I know I was at fault as well, for leaving you alone that day. I should have never-"

Baekhyun shut him up with a kiss. A tender one and he was successful when he could feel the other man relax into his touch. He knew what was going on in his head, he knew that he probably thought he was the one that was guilty, the omega himself had thought that for a long time, but he wasn't. The more time they spent together, the more obvious it got that he was  _ so  _ different from other alphas.

Chanyeol was the perfect example of a gentleman and mistakes existed to learn from them. Stroking his fingers along the taller's cheekbones, the omega pulled away to stare into his confused eyes, offering him a soft smile. One that only he would ever be able to see.

" It is in the past, Chanyeol-ah. I already forgave you. Please don't break your head over things that are done and over, focus on me and the current, okay? There is nothing you should feel  _ this  _ guilty about, I promise you. I love you, even if you can be a dickhead sometimes."

The last part made both of them chuckle and while the trees around them rustled, Chanyeol relaxed. Moving one of his big hands up into his lover's hair, he gently stroked through the silver strands and stopped when he reached his ear, softly rubbing his fingers along his skin. It was still surreal that Baekhyun was right in front of him, that he loved him and cared for him and that he was  _ his _ .

Nevertheless, he also knew that this was actually reality and that he was one lucky man. That ethereal beauty was his lover and his alone and he knew there were more important things to focus on than the past. Which is why he slowly stood up again and pulled Baekhyun closer by the waist, seeing him tip toeing in order to be taller. 

This was their moment, even if the current situation was urgent, but he treasured this and he would make sure to never stop doing that. Not when he finally had the one thing right within his hold which he had terribly missed for a long long time.

Pressing his nose against Baekhyun’s, Chanyeol briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath, just bathing in the mood between them before leaning in for another small kiss. It was emotional to some extent, but he made sure to end it before they would drift off further, smiling against the omega's lips.

" Calmed down? If yes, let's go help the others prepare, so it's finally over and done with. "


	18. Chapter Seventeen

The night they left, the woods were unusually quiet. All of them had decided that a full force of people would succeed faster than only a small group, which is why Junmyeon had chosen to bring all three alphas along and his best fighters, Baekhyun, Kyungsoo and an omega called Jung. 

Hanwoo was there with them as well, still tied up and only for reassurance that they were on the right track. Baekhyun was carrying his bow like always, the usual black clothes covering his body and this time he had a mask on as well. Eyeing the alphas, which had shifted in order to be faster and carried the other's, he looked down at Chanyeol's wolf, which he was sitting on, obvious that he was protecting the smaller and it made him smile.

His hands were gripping his soft fur in order to not fall off and he had to be honest and admit, being close like this was extremely comforting.

They had gone through their plan several times, but there was always a risk that it would not work. The place they were going for was far away from their territory, close by the next hills. If one would have counted the distance, it would have been over 50km, a good hiding spot for the wrongs they were doing.

Stopping in their tracks, there it was, a huge hut, similar to the one Baekhyun had woken up in and he finally understood their existence. It was an interim storage. Cringing at the memory, his eyes followed Junmyeon who made a hand sign for them to run up the hills, which they did. Only that this time, the omega laid his head down onto Chanyeol’s fur, cuddling into him while they climbed up the distance.

It calmed him down and kept his nerves in check, especially when they finally arrived and had an overview on the situation. There were several alphas walking around, even some omegas that seemed too scared to even move from the spot they were sitting in and it was so sad to watch.

Nevertheless, there wasn't much time to dwell on it when their leader climbed off of Sehun’s back, Hanwoo in his hold, and kneeled down at the edge of the hill they were standing on. For a moment it was quiet, but then he gave them the hand signs and it made Baekhyun, Kyungsoo and Jung jump off of the alphas to watch them run down the hill. 

They were big and together as three, they were stronger than any of those alphas down there, especially while unprepared. Seeing them attack and fight, it was time for the omega's to get into position and Baekhyun was the first one to grab his bow and run a bit further down the hill, shooting at those that were attacking the wolves.

Junmyeon was supposed to follow when everything calmed down and they tried to work through their plan, fighting those that were attacking them as well. Eyeing Kyungsoo, who jumped down and manhandled one of the alphas, the silver haired man made sure to keep his distance for now. A bow was only useful from afar and that's why he kept shooting at the others, until there were no arrows left.

Cursing to himself, he ran down the hill further and immediately tended to the omegas that were sitting at the side of the hut, seeing that they were completely out of it. Their skin was covered in sweat and he could see that they were induced with the same thing he had been tortured with. In the exact same moment in which he tried to carry them into a safe corner, an alpha grabbed him from behind, wrapping an arm around his throat.

That man added pressure quite fast and it hurt. Trying to reach for the small dagger he had hidden against his inner thigh, he felt his fingers shake from the lack of oxygen, legs dangling in the air the more the other pulled him up. Usually he was properly prepared in situations like this, now though he fought with his consciousness. 

" Not so tough anymore you recessive bitch?"

His words were ringing in his ears and then it happened within seconds. Swinging his hand back he rammed the knife into the other man's leg and took a deep breath when he fell to the ground. His throat was red and it hurt, but he still had enough composure to jump onto the alpha and ram the same dagger into the side of his throat, watching him choke to death.

Normally he wasn't this close to opponents, which is why he was a bit taken aback by the sheer force he seemed to possess, but then he shut off his thoughts and rushed back to the three omegas, carefully carrying them away from the chaos. Once done, he turned back around and watched the situation unfold. It seemed like more alphas had come out of the hut to fight and even if they had the upper hand, his brothers were still hurt.

It angered Baekhyun and made him run towards the other's once more, eyes searching for Junmyeon but then everything changed for the worse. Their leader was laying on the ground, head bleeding, but before he could panic and tend to him, a sharp pain ran through his leg, making him fall and scream out loud.

Blinking his eyes and trying to focus on what was going on, he saw Hanwoo kneeling above him, knife in his hands and an evil grin plastered on his face. He had rammed the blade into Baekhyun’s leg and he also knocked out Junmyeon. 

" You-"

" Yeah. Me. Do you really think I would cower and do whatever y'all want me to do? I had a plan as well and I'm going to have my fun with you, little slut," he chuckled and grabbed the omega's silver hair to pull him up, forcing another scream from his throat. This time it was loud enough for the other's to notice, and Chanyeol stopped in his tracks when he saw his lover within the hold of the other, the blood drenching his pants and dripping to the floor.

" EVERYONE, drop your weapons or he will die. I won't hesitate. "

With a knife against Baekhyun’s throat, so close that it was cutting into the skin, there was nothing else for the other's to do but follow his order and it hurt the smaller to see them give up. However, the alpha's did not turn back into their human form, instead stepping in front of the omega’s to protect them.

" It wasn't the smartest to talk about your oh so perfect plan, while I was in the other room. Did you all really think it would be this easy?"

" Hanwoo, enough. "

The new voice made all of them turn their heads towards the source, faces contouring with disgust when Chanyeol’s father walked out of the hut, arms crossed over his chest. He looked delighted almost, with a smile on his lips when he found the tall alpha's wolf, but then his eyes caught the presence of Baekhyun and it immediately turned into a glare.

" Long time no see, Byun Baekhyun. I thought I got rid of you a long time ago, what an unpleasant surprise. "

" Father," Chanyeol spoke up, after he shifted back, dressed in only the pants he had taken from another dead alpha. His eyes were stern and cold, no love within them and it seemed to trigger the older man, " So it was you the whole time…"

" Surprise? Anyways, I knew that you all were coming, Hanwoo had a job as well and he mastered it. You can still switch sides, son, you and your brothers. The rest will be sold off, but if you fight against it you will be killed. Easy, isn't it?"

Hissing from the pain due to his hair getting pulled, Baekhyun fought against the hold but got punched into the stomach by the other alpha, eyes tearing up from the pain. However, he had enough breath to speak up, not caring about what would happen to him.

" You were always a disgusting piece of shit, Park. What makes you think you are better than us? Just because of your second gender, seems pathetic to me."

" Pathetic? Boy, it's biological order," he chuckled out before the old man walked closer to Baekhyun, his hand forcefully grabbing his face. It hurt when his thumbs pressed into the smaller’s jaw, but he knew better than to show it, instead spitting into the man's face. Suddenly it was quiet, but then the loud sound of a hand slapping against the omega's face was all they heard," Do that again and I will kill you this instant. There is no use in fighting back, we have the upper hand anyways."

Looking around the place, with his face burning from the impact, the silver haired boy knew he was right. Junmyeon was still unconscious, Kyungsoo and Jung within the hold of the alphas. Chanyeol, Sehun and Jongin were the only ones who would have been able to do something, but to some extent Baekhyun was scared that they would switch sides.

Maybe this really was the end.

Maybe all their wins were cursed to end in a losing game.

Looking at the old man, the omega gasped when he grabbed his throat once more, fingers pressing into the side and restricting the airway. The smaller could feel that he was intending to kill him, there was no warning in the way he was acting, just pure hate and it brought tears to his eyes. Was this how it would end? With no one being able to save him? That one kiss he shared with Chanyeol being the last thing on his mind?

It indeed felt like that and it got realer the darker his vision started to be.

" Maybe we should start with you? He seems like too much work, it's better to get rid of him this instant."

Letting his eyes wander around one last time, it was difficult to even see anything and Baekhyun closed them purposely, just waiting for the darkness to swallow him. But when he thought it was over, he suddenly could breathe again and he noticed that when he landed on the ground.

Coughing in confusion, the omega regained oxygen back into his lungs and blinked his eyes open, only to shriek in shock when the head of the old man rolled closer towards him. His body was laying only a few feet away and it was then that he saw Chanyeol with a sword in his hands, blood all over his face. There was fear, sadness but mostly pain in his eyes and Baekhyun wanted nothing more than to hug him that instant.

Scrambling to his feet, he turned around to see a  _ very _ taken aback Hanwoo stuttering for an apology but Sehun was faster and jumped onto him, getting rid of his existence for good.

No one, literally no one would have expected this. The alphas were all in utter shock, because killing a part of your own family was a disgrace. It was a perfect opportunity for the other two omegas to strike though and it ended with them slitting the last ones throats.

The pain in his leg was still quite evident but it got numbed out when he stumbled over to his lover to grab his face, blood smearing everywhere. Chanyeol was in a state of shock, frozen to the spot and Baekhyun could not even speak properly due to his throat swelling up immensely. 

Everything tuned out around them, there were only the two of them and Baekhyun could feel the tears run down his own face. The beheaded man was still the alpha's father, even if he was a terrible person and growing up with rules, he knew the black haired male was taken aback by his own actions. 

Stroking his face and trying to bring him back to the current, the omega leaned up and kissed his lips, hoping it would make him conscious about their situation, and it worked. From one second to the other, Chanyeol was looking at him,  _ really _ looking at him and then he fell forward and held Baekhyun in a tight hug, body shaking from his heavy breathing. 

" Baby, calm down. I'm here, you are here with me, everything is okay…" Baekhyun whispered into his ear over and over again until they kneeled on the ground, the taller man cowering against his chest. It was as if they were seventeen again, scared and too young to make decisions, only that now they would never be ripped apart.

" I-I killed him…"

" You did, it's okay Chanyeol-ah. It will be okay."

He did not know for how long he held his lover and calmed him down, but when he passed out from exhaustion, the other's had already freed the omegas that were in the hut, carefully placing them on the back of the wolves. Junmyeon had woken up as well, head hurting badly, but he was still conscious enough to help, before Sehun carried him back to their territory as well.

Baekhyun stayed behind with Chanyeol and a few others and waited for Jongin and Sehun to return to pick them up, and when they were finally  _ home _ , the smaller also passed out due to the loss of blood. Everything seemed like a blur but when he woke up, Kyungsoo told him two days had flown by.

The situation had calmed down to the point all the omegas were able to finally relax and feel at home, but one thing was missing and that was his lover. Of course it wasn't easy to get up and run around, which is why he had a wooden pole that held him up when he wobbled out of the hut, immediately being embraced in a tight hug by Junmyeon. 

" You're up. I'm so glad…"

" I still feel like shit, but it's okay. What about your head?"

" Better already, it will leave a scar but as long as I am healthy, I couldn't care less," the taller replied with a smile, but then he saw the longing gaze in the smaller's eyes and he knew what he had to do, " He's at the lake, Baekhyun-ah."

-

Chanyeol indeed was.

Wrapped in his grey fur coat, the tall man sat at the water, throwing small rocks into it every few moments, but he froze when Baekhyun walked closer, literally jumping up to embrace the smaller into a tight hug. 

" You woke up, I worried so much about you..."

" Why weren't you beside me, Chanyeol-ah? Are  _ you _ okay? Because I can see you're not," Baekhyun said while pressing his face into the alpha's neck, calming down once he could smell his addicting musky scent.

It was quiet for some time and he knew it was probably hard for the alpha to speak about what was bothering him, it always had been, but he knew with time he would cool down as well and it happened when a kiss landed on the smaller's neck, a deep sigh following soon after.

" I'm not, but I will be okay one day. This was something I thought I would never have to do, I'm still in shock, even if I know it was the right thing."

" Baby, you don't need to be okay, you hear me? I know this is disturbing, stressful and horrifying, but I want you to know that with what you did, you saved lifes. So many lifes, I'm so proud of you," he whispered into his ear, softly smiling when he could feel tears dropping onto his neck. Chanyeol was a soft hearted person, he always had been and if he needed time, he would get it. As much as it would take.

Waiting for the taller to look at him, he carefully stroked along his face and then kissed the alpha on his lips, smiling when a arm was wrapped around his small waist, to hold him closer.

" I love you Chanyeol. Our story only just begun, and I want you to know that I will take every step with you. No matter if it will be difficult or scary. I won't leave you, and I hope you won't leave me as well, okay?"

" I could never leave you, never," Chanyeol whispered against his lips, seeming to have calmed down a little. They both knew it wouldn't be easy, none of this, but then again, had it ever been easy?

Their lives were contoured with periods of pain and distress, but in the end they both had found themselves again and it was definitely not too much to say that they were each other's happiness.

Now standing here, close to the water and listening to it crashing against the small shore, Baekhyun smiled when those three little words were whispered back into his ear, wooden pole dropping to the ground as Chanyeol picked him up and spun him around carefully.

It wasn't perfect, actually it was far from being perfect but it was only the start and both of them knew they could make it work. They knew they would be each other's anchor and it filled them with hope for the future.

That future that had never looked more brightly for both of them.

**Epilogue **

_ One year later. _

" Honey, can you go help Kyungsoo chop some wood?" Baekhyun asked while he was cutting carrots. The hut he was standing in was bigger, one that was only for him and his  _ mate _ . Sighing softly at the sunbeams that wandered through the window, he warmed up from the slight heat of them but then gasped when he was picked up in a back hug.

Chanyeol was gently holding him close and pressed several kisses along his neck before wandering up to his ear and biting the lobe. It made the omega jokingly slap him with the towel he was holding, until he was let down again and instead spun around into a passionate kiss, body bending back the more his lover leaned forwards.

" Park Chanyeol, if you don't stop now, I don't think I want you to stop as well."

" Yes yes yes. I will stop," the taller chuckled and gave the omega one last searing kiss and then let him go again, watching how he stroked his beautiful silver hair behind his ear, " Did I already tell you today that I love you?"

Smiling at his words, Baekhyun stroked the other's shirt down to make it look decent again and then pinched his nose, waiting for him to walk over to their door.

" You didn't, but I know you do, big goof," he answered, finger between his lips while he watched his lover's back tense when he put on his shoes. However, he found his composure quite fast when the alpha turned back around and in the same moment he touched his own neck, feeling the scars of a bite mark and he also said those three words, watching his mate leave the house.

" I love you more, Chanyeol-ah. "

The End

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Comments and opinions are more than welcomed. Let's meet there and talk ❤


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